Family Caught in Stroller Heist: Three Arrested in Holiday Theft Spree at Houston Stores
HOUSTON, TX – A Tennessee family’s attempt to smuggle high-end electronics out of a Houston store on Christmas Eve ended with all three members facing charges, Harris County deputies report.
On December 24, 2025, at approximately 6:52 p.m., Precinct 8 deputies were investigating an unrelated call on the 19200 block of the Gulf Freeway when business management alerted them to two men concealing electronics inside a baby stroller and under their clothing. Security footage allowed deputies to track the suspects’ movements, and a perimeter was established around the main entrance. Both suspects were detained after exiting the store without paying for the items.
The suspects were identified as 42-year-old Joseph Register and a 16-year-old juvenile. Inside the stroller, deputies found two virtual reality headsets and a Nintendo Switch. The teen was found concealing an additional virtual reality headset under his jacket. Management confirmed that the pair had stolen items from the same location earlier that evening.
Investigators later located the vehicle used to drop off the suspects at a nearby closed restaurant, occupied by 36-year-old Ashton Edwards, who confirmed that Register is her significant other and the juvenile is her son. A PlayStation 5 and Xbox controller matching the first theft were also discovered inside the vehicle.
The Harris County District Attorney’s Office accepted charges against all three: Register faces felony theft due to prior convictions, Edwards faces felony theft, and the juvenile was charged with Class A misdemeanor theft. Register’s bond was set at $7,500, and Edwards’ at $1,000. The teen was fingerprinted and released to a family member.
Deputies praised the coordination between store management and law enforcement, noting that vigilant monitoring prevented further theft.
