Austin police looking for man accused of stealing rental money [Video]

AUSTIN, Texas — Austin police say 24-year-old Juan Vazquez Jr. targeted renters by advertising rental properties online that he does not own and pocketing the cash that victims paid for deposits and rent. 

The Austin Police Department said these cases span from September 2022 to June 2024. It is a situation that realtor Heather Powell has seen with her clients in the past. 

“They went to Craigslist or a Facebook ad that wasn’t real, gave their money, showed up from Louisiana and the people that were living there had no idea why they were trying to move in, and these people had no place to go,” Powell said. “People depend on their houses being their nest, being their safe space, all of those things. And for someone to take advantage is terrible.”

To avoid this kind of situation, Powell said it is best to apply what she calls “the golden …