String Of Armed Robberies Tied To Pre-Teens, Police Said

HOUSTON — Ray Johnson, who will be 77-years-old in two weeks, didn’t expect to be viciously attacked in the middle of the street during his evening walk on Sept. 9.

He was just as surprised to see the faces of the three adolescent boys who’d knocked him to the ground, beat him with his own walking stick, and shoved a handgun in his face demanding money.

“That’s when I started bellowing — that’s what my wife calls it — yelling for help,” Johnson said.

Johnson, who didn’t have any money to give the boys, lay in the street screaming for help. Alarmed, the boys tossed Johnson’s walking stick and ran off as neighbors ran out of their homes to check on the man.

“I prayed for those kids that night,” he said.

Police were able to identify the three juveniles after viewing surveillance from a nearby convenience store and increased patrols in the area, police said.

“These juveniles range from 11-to 14-years-old,” said Precinct 5 Constable Ted Heap.

Three of the kids were arrested several days later as they tried to steal a gas can from the back of a lawn maintenance truck in the neighborhood, Heap said.

The boys, who according to police, were driving a car reported stolen in Houston a day earlier, told investigators they’d planned to use the gas to torch the stolen car.

Heap said along with the three who were arrested, there are at least three others involved. All of those kids are believed to have taken part in more than 20 armed robberies in the Houston area, Heap said.

“We have nine cases that we have been able to link, so far, to this group in Precinct 5 alone,” Heap added. “The Houston Police Department is working hand in hand to see how many additional cases in this area that we are going to be able to link to these kids.”

Heap said the boys told investigators they committed the robberies “for kicks.”

Heap said the expect to make more arrests this week. Charges are pending against the juveniles in custody

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