AUSTIN -- Police arrested a man allegedly involved in a home invasion in South Austin earlier this month.
On April 8, three suspects knocked on an apartment door, waking up the man who lived inside, according to Travis County court documents.The man opened the door and the suspects forced their way into the apartment.
One of the suspects was later identified by police as 23-year-old Clifton Craddock. The other two have not been identified. The suspects accused the victim of owing a cartel $20,000 and asked him where he kept drugs in the apartment. The victim told them he was not involved with drugs and that they had the wrong person.
The victim told police that the suspects loaded his personal items into different bags, including his phone, keys, wallet and laptops. They insisted that the victim was lying and continued searching for drugs. The affidavit states that one of the unidentified suspects told the victim they were going to take him with them, and wrapped his mouth and hands in duct tape. The suspects made sure the victim could not see, put him in the back of his car, and drove away.
According to the affidavit, they continued to ask about drugs and the victim told them he was new to Austin and had just moved to that apartment. The suspects continued to drive around, stopping at different apartment complexes. The victim told police he believes a female in another vehicle was following them.
The suspects stopped in a neighborhood near MoPac and took the victim out of the car. They told him they were going to let him go, but the victim feared for his life. One of the suspects cut the duct tape off of the victim, causing a cut on his neck, and told him to run away. He ran to a nearby house and the resident called police.
The apartment complex staff told police that the previous tenant of the victim's apartment was asked to move out after neighbors complained that he was a drug dealer.
Police tracked the victim's credit card activity after the incident and were led to 28-year-old Crystal McCray. McCray was driving a stolen truck that contained stolen items from the victim. McCray was arrested on Wednesday for unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. She told police that she obtained the victim's belongings from Craddock.
Craddock, who had a current warrant for probation violation, evaded arrest in his vehicle when approached by officers. Police tracked him down at a residence Monday and arrested him. Detectives found more of the victim's stolen items at that location.
Craddock is charged with robbery by assault with bond set at $125,000. He is also charged with aggravated kidnapping, a first-degree felony with bond set at $100,000.
