Charles County Sheriff’s Detective, Jack Austin will tell you he was just doing his job when he began an investigation into the thefts of hundreds of catalytic converters stolen from an auto parts business in the spring of 2008. His supervisors will tell you his relentless investigation not only identified the immediate culprits but led to the discovery of a theft scheme that netted the suspects hundreds of thousands of dollars. For his actions and skilled handling of the investigation, Detective Austin was named “Deputy Sheriff of the Year” by the Maryland Sheriff’s Association at an award ceremony held on Sept. 12, 2009 in Ocean City, Maryland.
“Shutting down a theft ring of this enormity was no small task,” said Sheriff Rex W. Coffey, adding, “Detective Austin took a complex case and made solving it look easy. It’s the kind of work we see from him day in and day out.” Lt. Kevin Leahy, Assistant Commander of the Criminal Investigations Unit, echoed the Sheriff’s comments saying, “Jack puts everything he has into each and every investigation he handles. He doesn’t stop until the case is solved.”
The investigation of the thefts began on April 30, 2008, when a group of suspects broke into a business in White Plains and stole over 250 catalytic converters. Detective Austin was assigned the investigation. With no suspect information, he carefully reviewed several pieces of evidence and eventually linked the evidence to known criminals, ultimately identifying a group of suspects. The investigation revealed the suspects were part of a ring that operated a large scale theft organization throughout the region. As a result of his work, six people were charged in connection with the thefts and several other burglaries.
Detective Austin began his employment with the Sheriff’s Office as a Correctional Officer in 2001. In 2002, he transferred to the Patrol Division and in 2006, he was assigned to the Criminal Investigations Division. Over the years, Detective Austin has received numerous awards for outstanding investigations.
“Detective Austin’s work is commendable and reflects the type of commitment our Agency has to solving crimes and ridding our county of criminals,” said Sheriff Coffey. “He is a true asset to the Agency.”
