 In February 1979, although having a history of attempted prison escapes and repeated altercations with police officers, Austin won parole from prison in Kansas City, Missouri and, upon his release, immediately headed south with the intentions of beginning a crime spree where, on February 28, Austin robbed a bank in Houston, Texas of $60,000.By mid-July, Austin had raided a series of banks throughout the Southeast from Kentucky to Florida when federal authorities, who had previously charged Austin with bank robbery and unlawful flight to avoid prosecution, officially added Austin to the FBI's "Ten Most Wanted List" on October 12.After a five-month-long federal investigation, Austin was eventually traced to a rented apartment in Tucson, Arizona where Austin was arrested by federal agents on March 1, 1980.