Houston Police Department

February 20, 2006 -- Investigators in the Houston Police Robbery Division have released surveillance photos of two of four or five suspects believed responsible for at least nine robberies at cell phone businesses since January 13.

Click here for photo #1.
Click here for photo #2.

The suspects are described as black males, 16 to 20 years old, 5 feet 7 inches to 6 feet tall, and 140 to 180 pounds. They usually have hooded sweatshirts and are armed with semiautomatic pistols. Surveillance photos of two suspects who robbed a T-Mobile store at 2600 South Kirkwood about 12:45 p.m. on January 21 are attached to this news release. One photo is of a suspect in a black shirt, the other is of both suspects entering the business.

HPD Robbery Division Officer T.N. Nguyen said the suspects are believed responsible in robberies at the following locations:

* Jan. 13 at 11307 Bissonnet
* Jan. 18 at 11303 Wilcrest
* Jan. 19 at 8104 Southwest Freeway
* Jan. 21 at 2600 South Kirkwood
* Jan. 21 at 11660 Westheimer
* Jan. 22 at 12542 Bellaire Blvd.
* Jan. 25 at 2505 State Highway 6
* Feb. 2 at 11316 Westheimer
* Feb. 9 at 514 Elgin

In each case, the suspects are armed with guns when they enter cell phone stores and demand personal property from everyone in the store, and take cell phones and cash. The suspects cover their faces and heads with bandanas, masks or hooded sweatshirts. They have threatened to shoot employees and customers if the victims did not comply with their demands. In the incident on Jan. 21, two suspects entered the store, grabbed several cell phones from the display cases and ran out of the business. The suspect in the black shirt pointed a gun at a store employee and threatened him with it when the employee followed him outside. The suspects were seen leaving in a purple, four-door Saturn.

Anyone with information in any of these cases is urged to contact the HPD Robbery Division at 713-308-0700 or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.

For additional information, please contact the HPD Public Affairs Division at 713-308-3200.