HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — Houston police need the public’s help searching for a gunman involved in multiple food truck robberies in north Houston.
The man has allegedly robbed at least 12 robberies at gunpoint in the north Houston area, according to police.
The Sanchez family was closing up their taco truck, El De La Barbacoa, for the night when a man came barging in with a sawed-off shotgun, demanding cash from an employee.
“I heard some dude shouting out, ‘Get on the floor,’ and then I turned around, and I saw a Honduran guy with a non-stock shotgun pointed at my dad,” Jose Sanchez said.
He said when the robber noticed his mom, he turned the gun on her.
“She had the money in her left hand, and the dude points at her and says, ‘Give me the money or else I’ll kill you.’ Then, my mom said that she was in shock because she thought somebody was playing around with her, then the robber said again, ‘Give me the money, or I’ll shoot you,'” Sanchez said.
Thinking strategically, Sanchez says he stayed calm and quickly devised a plan.
“I had money in my pocket, so I took action, you could say to lure him into my dad so he could tackle him down, but he left.”
After seeing this suspect twice, Sanchez said he hopes there isn’t a third time.
“If he comes back, well pop him,” he said. “We called the cops, and the cops told if we see him, take him down, it’ll be easier. So if he comes back, we will pop him.”
The ordeal was captured on surveillance footage and soon posted online by Hernandez. He said after posting the video, he received messages from a half dozen other food truck owners claiming the same man robbed them.
Houston police described the suspect as a Hispanic man, about 18 to 24 years old, with a black sawed-off gun and no face covering.
The suspect is accused of robbing the following food truck locations within the month:
- Aug. 9: 2800 W Mount Houston Rd.
- Aug. 10: 8610 Irvington Blvd.
- Aug. 10: 8430 Fulton St.
- Aug. 10: 8930 North Freeway
- Aug. 11: 7712 W. Little York
- Aug. 12: 4109 Cedar Hill Lane
- Aug. 13: 609 W. Gulf Bank Rd.
- Aug. 15: 2800 W. Mount Houston Rd.
- Aug. 17: 522 E Little York Rd.
- Aug. 17: 9550 Airline Drive
- Aug. 19: 8930 North Freeway
- Aug. 21: 10798 Shady Lane
