At Least 9 Armed Robberies In Dallas Area Connected; Started With Carjacking Last Week
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - A string of holdups and carjackings by a pair of masked gunmen is growing and extends outside the City of Dallas.
That's according to Dallas Police who are warning the public to be aware of the armed robbers who approach victims in their driveways and outside their homes.
Police now say nine armed robberies are connected and possibly more.
This started with a carjacking in Red Oak last week and that victim's car was used in three of the eight robberies since.
That car has been recovered and placed in police storage. Sources say it has been processed for fingerprints.
The Nissan Sentra has bullet holes in it even though no shots have reportedly been fired in the subsequent robberies in Dallas.
We are told by the victim who allowed to see the car that it smelled like marijuana and had property from stolen purses inside.
After the car was taken at gunpoint from a woman in Red Oak it was used in three other robberies before it was ditched and other stolen vehicles were used including a black Cadillac and a gold pickup.
Dallas Police say the gunman have approached people in East Dallas and possibly another victim in Carrollton.
"We've also ask every member of our community to be aware of their surroundings arriving home and to be mindful or any individuals have any individuals kind of looking around," said Dallas Police Deputy Chief Thomas Castro.
Police said the they are increasing patrols and using other monitoring devices to try and apprehend this pair which in one of the cases also assaulted a victim.
"I'm just like everyone else. I'm your average Joe. Why would you want to choose me out of everyone and violate my space to make me feel unsafe my own home," said Brianna Martinez, one of the victims.
"I imagine myself being pinned down to this floor and being asked what the passcode to my phone is. How many people are in my house?"
She said a group of men attacked Martinez in front of her Dallas home about a week ago.
She said three men wearing masks jumped out of a red sedan pinned her to the ground with a gun and took her phone and purse.
She said she told them, "Please take everything I have I don't care about that. I care about the safety of my family who I want to spend this holiday season with."
Reporter Erin Jones contributed to this report.
