Jay
Gotta watch us old guys.....cause if you don't....
By STEFANIE THOMAS
Updated: 05.06.10
SUMMERWOOD - Four armed men attempted to rob a woman and her 16-year-old daughter at a fake roadblock on Woodson Park near West Lake Houston Parkway in Summerwood April 22.
According to Harris County Sheriff’s Office District 2 robbery investigator Sgt. R. Minchew, the victims were on their way home around 10:20 p.m. when they came upon traffic cones blocking the roadway near a construction zone.
“When the victims slowed down at the cones they were confronted by four suspects armed with a shotgun and a handgun,” Minchew said. “One of the suspects broke the windows out of the car with his shotgun and demanded that the victims get out of the car. Another suspect attempted to break out the passenger side window with a handgun.”
Minchew said the woman put her car in reverse and managed to get away. One of the suspects, he said, fired a shot at the victim’s car.
In five years of investigating robberies in the Humble, Atascocita, Huffman and Spring areas, Minchew said he has never seen a case where suspects set up a fake roadblock.
“This is very unusual,” he said. “Usually suspects use the same [mode of operation] until they get caught, but to my knowledge there hasn’t been another case like this in the county.”
The suspects, he said, appear to target women specifically. At least two men were allowed to pass the barrier prior to the woman’s arrival.
“One of the men moved the cones and drove through, and another just drove right over them,” Minchew said. “It looks like they waited for a woman to come along.”
The roadblock was set up in a heavily wooded area with a lot of construction nearby. The victim did not observe any vehicles in the vicinity.
“We don’t know where the suspects parked or even if they had a vehicle,” Minchew said, “but we don’t have any evidence that they live in the neighborhood, either.”
The first suspect was described as a black male, 18 to 25 years old, wearing black clothing and a black and white bandana over the lower part of his face, and armed with a sawed-off shotgun.
The second suspect was described as a white or Hispanic male, 18 to 25 years old, same clothing description, armed with a silver or chrome colored handgun with a long barrel. There is no description on the other two suspects.
Minchew urged drivers to be alert and use caution when approaching a roadblock.
“If there are no signs that say ‘detour’ or ‘road closed’, either turn around or just drive over the cones,” he said. “Then call law enforcement and check if it is a legitimate roadblock.”
Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.
Armed suspects target women at fake roadblock > Atascocita Observer > News > Houston Community Newspapers Online - News Around Town
Updated: 05.06.10
SUMMERWOOD - Four armed men attempted to rob a woman and her 16-year-old daughter at a fake roadblock on Woodson Park near West Lake Houston Parkway in Summerwood April 22.
According to Harris County Sheriff’s Office District 2 robbery investigator Sgt. R. Minchew, the victims were on their way home around 10:20 p.m. when they came upon traffic cones blocking the roadway near a construction zone.
“When the victims slowed down at the cones they were confronted by four suspects armed with a shotgun and a handgun,” Minchew said. “One of the suspects broke the windows out of the car with his shotgun and demanded that the victims get out of the car. Another suspect attempted to break out the passenger side window with a handgun.”
Minchew said the woman put her car in reverse and managed to get away. One of the suspects, he said, fired a shot at the victim’s car.
In five years of investigating robberies in the Humble, Atascocita, Huffman and Spring areas, Minchew said he has never seen a case where suspects set up a fake roadblock.
“This is very unusual,” he said. “Usually suspects use the same [mode of operation] until they get caught, but to my knowledge there hasn’t been another case like this in the county.”
The suspects, he said, appear to target women specifically. At least two men were allowed to pass the barrier prior to the woman’s arrival.
“One of the men moved the cones and drove through, and another just drove right over them,” Minchew said. “It looks like they waited for a woman to come along.”
The roadblock was set up in a heavily wooded area with a lot of construction nearby. The victim did not observe any vehicles in the vicinity.
“We don’t know where the suspects parked or even if they had a vehicle,” Minchew said, “but we don’t have any evidence that they live in the neighborhood, either.”
The first suspect was described as a black male, 18 to 25 years old, wearing black clothing and a black and white bandana over the lower part of his face, and armed with a sawed-off shotgun.
The second suspect was described as a white or Hispanic male, 18 to 25 years old, same clothing description, armed with a silver or chrome colored handgun with a long barrel. There is no description on the other two suspects.
Minchew urged drivers to be alert and use caution when approaching a roadblock.
“If there are no signs that say ‘detour’ or ‘road closed’, either turn around or just drive over the cones,” he said. “Then call law enforcement and check if it is a legitimate roadblock.”
Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.
Armed suspects target women at fake roadblock > Atascocita Observer > News > Houston Community Newspapers Online - News Around Town
