Texas Man Wanted for Alleged Burglary at DA’s Office

Authorities are searching for a man accused of stealing multiple laptops from the Travis County District Attorney’s Office during an early morning break-in last week. Investigators have identified the suspect as 31-year-old Austin Wayne Mullins, who is believed to have taken nine laptops valued at over $14,500, according to an arrest warrant.

Early Morning Theft Raises Security Questions

On Feb. 27, an employee from the DA’s office reported to a courthouse deputy that the building had been burglarized the day before, just after 4 a.m. Surveillance footage reportedly shows a man in the alley behind the office near the Sally Port dock area. The suspect appears to approach the loading dock door, which is usually locked and only accessible to four employees—none of whom reported missing keys. Authorities believe the individual may have forced the door open by pulling hard enough to bypass the lock.

Security cameras later captured the suspect entering the dock area, removing items from a box, and taking two laptops before leaving. About two hours later, he was allegedly seen returning to take the remaining laptops.

Suspect Identified Through Courthouse Connection

Following the burglary, a courthouse deputy recognized the man in the surveillance images as someone he had seen going through the security screening at the Travis County Courthouse on Feb. 26. Records show that Mullins was scheduled to appear in court that day for a burglary case from earlier in February, though the hearing was postponed. His court appearance had been scheduled for 9:30 a.m., just a few hours after the laptops were reported stolen.

History of Prior Arrests

Mullins has a criminal record that includes multiple arrests related to burglary and drug offenses, with at least two jail sentences. In 2023, he was charged with disorderly conduct after allegedly attempting to break into homes in an East Austin neighborhood while threatening residents with what turned out to be an air rifle.

As of Monday afternoon, online jail records did not show Mullins in custody. Authorities continue to investigate the case, and the DA’s office has yet to comment on security measures or whether sensitive information was stored on the stolen laptops.