by Sharelle Burt
March 23, 2024
What ever happened to just playing outside?
A group of “little rascals” bank robbers — one as young as 11 — have been arrested after their parents turned them in.
The trio of minors were accused of robbing a Wells Fargo in Houston, Texas, on March 14, and witnesses initially believed the suspects were 14 to 18 years old. Rel.easing images from surveillance footage on Twitter, the Houston bureau of the FBI gave them the clever nickname and asked the public for help in identifying them.
“Recognize these ‘little rascals’? Believe it or not they just robbed the Wells Fargo at 10261 North Freeway,” authorities wrote. “If you know who and where they are contact police immediately or @crimestophou at 713-222-TIPS. #HouNews”
After recognizing their kids, two of the suspects’ parents turned their children into police who took the minors into custody.
A spokesperson for the sheriff’s office declined confirmation on circumstances surrounding the arrests, but the FBI field office said, “they are 11, 12, and 16-year-old boys charged locally with robbery by threat” — a second-degree felony.
According to ABC 13, the boys passed a threatening note to a teller and got away with an undisclosed amount of cash. They were suspected of being armed but didn’t present a weapon. However, the sheriff’s office said authorities recovered a weapon and a distinctive item pictured in one photo.
Due to them being minors, authorities said names and additional details will not be released.
Retired juvenile district court judge Mike Schneider was surprised by the age of the younger two, calling it “unusual for a bank robbery.” “It’s one of the first times I’ve seen that,” he said. But he is not putting all the blame on the juveniles — thinking an adult is the mastermind behind the crime. “I was thinking either this was very low in sophistication or maybe an adult had something to do with this. That is not uncommon,” the judge said.
“Because kids have a punishment that is less severe, it is not uncommon for adult offenders to get them to commit crimes.”
Committing a serious crime in Texas comes with large consequences, even for kids. A juvenile is legally defined as a person who is at least 10 years old but not yet 17 at the time of the crime or incident in question. If the assailant is found guilty, the minor could face probation until they turn 18 or be sent to juvenile detention until they turn 19. The 16-year-old could also be certified as an adult, but a criminal defense attorney said it’s not likely.
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