Heavy Equipment Theft Suspect Charged
On October 8, 2024, a Kubota Skid Steer was reported stolen from a construction site located in the 3800 block of FM 528. The equipment was taken sometime overnight on October 7, 2024. After an extensive investigation by Friendswood Investigators, a vehicle of interest was identified and connected to Cristian Avila Chavez, 24, of Houston. On June 26, 2025, Avila Chavez was indicted by a grand jury in Harris County and subsequently charged with Felony Theft >=$30K<$150K. He was arrested on July 7, 2025, by Friendswood Officers and transported to the Harris County jail. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) placed a detainer on Avila Chavez.
