HOUSTON, TX – Earlier this month, a string of robberies orchestrated by a group of teenagers swept across Houston, causing concern among local businesses and law enforcement. The teens, suspected of targeting multiple stores in one day, have prompted the Houston Police Department and Crime Stoppers to intensify their efforts to halt the crime wave.
The investigation into these incidents dates back to May 5, when a Family Dollar store on Orlando was robbed of $250. The next day, the crime spree continued at a Cricket Wireless store on Tidwell, where the teens initially posed as customers before seizing cash from the register and stealing at least five cell phones.
Houston police reported that the same group targeted a Total Wireless location on Tidwell on May 6. Although they left empty-handed that time, staff members revealed that other Total Wireless stores in the area had previously fallen prey to the same suspects.
The teens’ modus operandi involved acting as potential buyers, gaining the trust of employees before making their move. As one employee noted, they would lure staff to the back of the store under the guise of browsing phones, only to raid the cash registers.
On May 9, the group struck a bakery on Airline, escaping with an undisclosed amount of money. That same day, they targeted two Wendy’s restaurants, including one on North Sam Houston, where they left without any loot. However, at another Wendy’s on Rankin, surveillance footage captured them making off with cash.
The Texas Department of Public Safety has highlighted the growing trend of juvenile involvement in such crimes, with 91 juveniles arrested for robbery this year alone. In response, Crime Stoppers has announced a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to the arrest of each suspect involved in these robberies.
Authorities urge anyone with information about these incidents to come forward, emphasizing the importance of community assistance in resolving the case and curbing the rise in juvenile crime.