AUSTIN (KXAN) — A man accused of robbing an Austin pizza restaurant in 2021 had help from a family member who worked there, an Austin Police Department arrest affidavit said.
Bryce Edward Tranthem, 21, faces a charge of aggravated robbery after APD said he pointed a gun at a cashier of Slapbox Pizza, located at 9900 West Parmer Lane, and took checks from a safe behind a counter, according to the affidavit.
The affidavit said Tranthem went into the restaurant through an unlocked back door wearing a mask and gloves. After he entered, the person identified in the affidavit as the family member “calmly stood up and moved not only toward other workers, but toward the suspect.” The affidavit said the family member raised his hands and then “calmly ushered everyone out the business’ front door.”
APD said the family member, who hasn’t been charged with a crime in the case, “came within a foot of the suspect, but the suspect did not appear concerned or threatened with his presence or movement toward him.” The affidavit said APD officers saw it all on surveillance footage.
An APD detective who responded to the scene said the safe wasn’t in a place where a nonemployee could see it, and “it appeared as if the suspect knew to jump over the bar and straight to the safe.” The detective also pointed out that the family member’s reaction “seemed strange as he walked toward a robbery suspect brandishing a gun.”
The affidavit said surveillance footage showed the family member on the phone “within view of the open safe,” just prior to the suspect going inside. After obtaining phone records, APD said the two called each other eight times the night of the robbery, but not in the 10-minute period during the robbery from 10:13-10:23 p.m., the affidavit said.
According to APD records, the affidavit said that Bryce and the family member were arrested by Leander Police a month after the robbery and accused of burglarizing vehicles. The pickup used in that case matched the one Bryce drove off in after the robbery, the affidavit said.
KXAN has reached out to Tranthem’s attorney listed on arrest records, and we will update this story once we hear back.
Credit: Source link
