A bearded man caught on surveillance camera grabbing merchandise and bolting from two separate Leander smoke shops is now the target of a police appeal for public help identifying him. Leander police say the suspect struck both 512 Vape and Paradox Smoke Shop, leaving each store very quickly after taking items, and detectives are hoping someone recognizes him from the released photos.
According to KEYE, the man was caught on camera taking merchandise from both 512 Vape and Paradox Smoke Shop. The Leander Police Department identified the two locations as 512 Vape, at 1907 S. Hwy 183, Suite 201, along the busy Highway 183 commercial corridor, and Paradox Smoke Shop, at 106 W. Willis St. in downtown Leander.
Photos released by police show the suspect in two different outfits across the incidents — a blue patterned long-sleeve shirt in one set of images, and a black shirt with dark shorts and a red waistband in another — though he sports a full beard in both. The department's post suggests the images came from separate camera angles or separate visits to the two stores, though it does not specify how much time passed between the two thefts.
Detective Leading the Search for Tips
Leander police are asking anyone who recognizes the suspect to contact Detective Ty Stryker, who is handling public tips for the investigation. Stryker can be reached by phone at 512-528-2800 or by email at [email protected]. Stryker is a five-year veteran of the department who was awarded a departmental service coin in May 2024 and previously earned recognition from Mothers Against Drunk Driving in 2020, per the Leander Police Department.
The department's central station sits at 705 Leander Drive, according to the City of Leander, should anyone prefer to bring information in person rather than call or email the detective.
What the Suspect Could Face Under Texas Law
The eventual charges will likely hinge on how much merchandise investigators determine was taken. Under Texas Penal Code Section 31.03, theft of property valued between $100 and $750 is a Class B misdemeanor punishable by up to 180 days in jail, theft between $750 and $2,500 is a Class A misdemeanor, and theft of $2,500 or more becomes a state jail felony, according to McCarty-Larson.
Because the suspect appears to have targeted two separate storefronts, prosecutors also have another tool available. Texas Penal Code Section 31.16, updated in September 2025 through Senate Bill 1300, allows prosecutors to aggregate the value of stolen merchandise across multiple retail incidents within 180 days to pursue an organized retail theft charge, per Saputo Toufexis. That expanded statute means hitting two smoke shops in quick succession could push the case toward a higher charge level than a single shoplifting incident would carry on its own.
A Growing City, a Familiar Retail Crime Pattern
Leander sits roughly 20 miles north of Austin across Williamson and Travis counties, and it has grown fast — from a population of 59,202 at the 2020 census to an estimated 91,132 by 2025, according to the City of Leander and Wikipedia. That growth has filled out commercial corridors like Highway 183, where 512 Vape operates, and downtown streets like Willis Street, home to Paradox Smoke Shop, which received a specific use permit from the Leander Planning & Zoning Commission in May 2025 to operate as a hemp, CBD, and vape retailer.
The thefts also fit into a wider regional pattern of retail crime enforcement. In nearby Austin, the Austin Police Department's North Metro Tactical Unit arrested 11 people and recovered nearly $13,000 in stolen goods during a single-day shoplifting blitz in April, according to FOX 7 Austin. Smoke and vape shops in particular have been frequent targets statewide; Harris County Constable Precinct 5 investigated a similar grab-and-run theft at a Houston vape shop in May 2025, where suspects made off with several hundred dollars in merchandise before fleeing on foot.
No arrests have been announced in the Leander case, and it remains unclear how much merchandise was taken from either store. Anyone with information is still encouraged to reach out to Detective Stryker as the investigation continues.
