Police in Houston Catch "Driveway Robber" and "Auto Thief"

According to the news release on the Houston Police Department Website, authorities believe that they have nabbed the person responsible for up to 15 robberies in the Houston, Texas, area, as well as another suspect accused of stealing cars around Memorial Park.

A 16-year-old male is in custody today for the alleged "driveway robberies" that have been going on since the end of July. Authorities believe the 16-year-old, whose name can not be revealed due to his age, is responsible for over 15 robberies in the Houston area. Authorities state that the suspect would allegedly surprise the victims in their driveways, and then rob them at gunpoint. In some of the incident's the suspect would allegedly take their car and then use that car to commit other robberies in the area.

After the efforts of the Westside Robbery Division and the Fondren Division's Tactical and Crime Analysis Unit, the arrest was made. Authorities exhausted all possibles and interviewed numerous witnesses and came to the conclusion that the person in custody is the "driveway robber". Although innocent until proven guilty, police do believe the robberies will now decrease with the arrest of the 16-year-old. The suspect has been charged with seven of the 15 robberies. Stolen property from numerous crime scenes were found in the suspects possession.

According to the police, the suspect is believe to have committed these specific robberies listed : June 29th, allegedly stole a blue Chevy Malibu at 7800 Quail Meadow. June 29th, allegedly stole a victim's wallet at 11800 Meadow Place. June 30th, property recovered from the Chevy Malibu was stolen from 5600 Drake Stone. June 30th, allegedly stole a green Toyota Camry from 8900 Dawnridge. July 1st, allegedly stole a purse from 10900 Fondren. July 1st, allegedly stole a wallet from 7900 Albin. July 17th, allegedly stole a red Mitsubishi Montero from 8900 Deer Meadow. July 20th, allegedly stole a purse at 7600 Ludington. July 20th, allegedly robbed a victim at the back door of his residence located at 10900 Paulwood. And then the last robbery being on July 27th, allegedly stole a victims purse at 8900 Deer Meadow.

Houston police officers hit the jackpot with the arrest of a man who they think is responsible for the increase of stolen vehicles in the Memorial Park area. According to the Special Operations Division in Houston, an increase of activity involving auto theft started becoming more and more in the Memorial Park area. Officers were assigned to investigate the increase and began surveillance hoping that they would nabbed the person or persons responsible. Police got their big break when on July 24th an officer who had been patrolling the Memorial Park area noticed a vehicle that was driving in the area where the thefts had occurred. The police officer than notified fellow officers on the case to run the license plate of the car and too their surprise the car came back stolen. Officers then apprehended the person driving the vehicle and arrested him promptly. Police do believe that the suspect in custody is responsible for the numerous car thefts in the area.

SOURCE: Houston Police Department News Release - "Driveway Robber" and "Auto Thief" now parked in jail
http://www.houstontx.gov/police/nr/2007/aug/nr082207-5.html