Crime Time

Arlington police seek help in identifying robber

Here's a press release from the Arlington Police Department:

The Arlington Police Department is asking for the public’s help with identifying a robbery suspect believed to have been involved in a series of recent robberies. On September 23, 2009, at about 7:20 p.m. a man entered a Jack In The Box restaurant in the 1700 block of E. Division Street and displayed a pistol while demanding money. Immediately following this robbery, a man matching the suspect’s description walked into a nearby Gamestop in the 2500 block of E. Arkansas Lane and committed another robbery in the same manner.

Both of these robberies were captured on video surveillance. Photos taken from the surveillance are attached to this release. The same man is suspected of committing as many as four robberies since Sept. 22, 2009.

He is described as a Hispanic male, 5’6” to 5’8”, 200 pounds, who wears dark colored sunglasses, a gray baseball hat with a logo, white tennis shoes, a black shirt, and jeans.

Anyone with information on these Aggravated Robberies is asked to call Arlington Police Detective Seth Archer at 817-459-5304 or Crime Stoppers at 817-469-TIPS (8477). All tipsters remain anonymous and are eligible for a reward up to $1,000. An additional reward of $250 for information is also available through the Guns and Gang Busters Program through Safe City. Information about robbery cases is available at www.arlingtonpd.org under the Cash for Crooks tab.

Manhunt intensifies for Philly's 'Uzi bandit'

Modus operandi: This robber holds up stores with a gun described as an Uzi, then flees on a BMX bike.

Police in Philadelphia are stepping their manhunt for the so-called "Uzi bandit" and his accomplice, who struck again Thursday night.

The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that detectives are concerned the robbers' fire power, coupled with their apparent youth, "could lead to a deadly confrontation."

"The way that gun sprays, people are going to be hit," a detective said.

By the way, although the weapon is described as an Uzi, some of the images in this Fox News report look kind of different than the one shown at right.

That might be splitting hairs for most folks, but it has been awhile since we've pitched a challenge to Crime Time readers who are gun aficionados.

So how's about it gun guys, can you identify this weapon seen in the Fox video?

-- Bill Miller

Police: Mom used guilt trip to get sons into armed robberies

A guilt trip -- that's what police in Arizona say a 51-year-old mother used to manipulate her adolescent sons and their buddies into committing a series of at least 20 armed robberies.

Officers arrested the woman, Cynthia Roberson, last week and say that she goaded her 12- and 14-year-old sons and their friends into the armed robberies by making them feel guilty about all the bills she had to pay.

But police say the teens were pretty arrogant about their robberies, with one of the suspects bragging to a youngster in a store that he had robbed it the previous day.

-- Lance Murray

Video: Shotgun-wielding proprietor gives robber money, bread

The New York Post has a moving story and video today about a Long Island store owner who took pity on a would-be robber he had just pulled a shotgun on.

Once confronted by the proprietor's shotgun, the robber fell to his knees and begged for forgiveness, telling the shop owner he was jobless and needed to feed his family.

"He started crying, saying, 'I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I have no job. I have no food. My family is hungry.'" store owner Mohammad Sohail said.

Then in a stroke of real compassion, Sohail gave the man $40 and a loaf of bread after eliciting a promise from the man what he would never rob anybody again.

And, best of all, it was all caught on the store's surveillance video camera.

-- Lance Murray

Saturday night hold-up at the 99 cent store

With the economy in the dumps, it's pretty certain more people are frequenting 99 cent stores.

Maybe even robbers.

Fort Worth police were responding Saturday night to commercial hold-up at 1601 W. Berry Street. A quick online search shows that's the home of the Big 99 Cent Store.

- Traci Shurley

Video: Man's 9-year-old daughter tags along during armed robbery

If you'd like to see something really incredible, watch this report from the Today show that police said shows an unemployed man in Washington state committing an armed robbery accompanied by his 9-year-old daughter.

Police are still searching for them.

-- Lance Murray

Tree-branch-toting robber, broomstick-wielding employee duel

Teddy Roosevelt once advised: "Speak softly and carry a big stick ..."

That might be a great political philosophy, but it didn't work very well for a robbery suspect in Fort Worth, who police say tried to hold up a restaurant Thursday night by using a tree branch as a weapon.

Seems a restaurant employee grabbed a wooden broomstick and the two dueled. Whack! Whack! I can hear the wood clacking. Another employee grabbed a chair and rammed the man. Thud.

Seemingly overwhelmed by the low-tech defenses of his intended victims, the equally low-tech robber fled, only to be caught by police nearby, hiding behind a trash bin.

Read Deanna Boyd's account of this robbery-attempt-on-a-stick.

-- Lance Murray

'Either shoot me or leave my store,' clerk tells robber

A report on the attempted robbery Monday of a 7-Eleven on Camp Bowie Boulevard has been the most read story today on star-telegram.com.

Facing the muzzle of handgun partially covered in a bandanna, a 30-year-old store clerk told the robber to either pull the trigger or leave.

"Either shoot me or leave my store," she said.

So, according to police, the robber hurled an obscenity, called the woman something that rhymes with "itch" and walked out the door.

No arrests were reported Tuesday.

Police, however, urge retail workers to use good judgment when confronted by a robber. That recommendation is described in "Project Stay Alert," an online violence prevention program of Fort Worth police.

"Attempting to stop a robber or refusing to give them the property they’re demanding can place you at greater risk of harm -- so use good judgment," according to the material.

-- Bill Miller

Police unsure if same suspects involved in 'scream' heists

Have you seen this ... er ... person?

Of course you have, if you're familiar with the Ghostface character from the 1996 movie Scream, directed by Wes Craven.

Ghostface reportedly was so named for the rubber mask that many pop culture writers have noted resembles the famous Edvard Munch painting The Scream (below).

So what's the Fort Worth connection?

Police say there have been two robberies in the past two weeks involving people wearing the iconic "scream" mask, similar to the one shown left.

Also, the robberies were about two miles apart on the west side of Fort Worth.

Same suspects?

Or, did the upcoming Halloween holiday provide an effective disguise for more than one crook?

Police didn't know for sure on Monday, but they were curious.

Staff Writer Bill Miller reports.