Four individuals were arrested in North Dallas on Monday after allegedly committing a string of bank robberies earlier in the day.
Police apprehended 26-year-old Deverio Bell, 20-year-old Latwon Berry, 26-year-old Trayvon Reed, and 19-year-old Jaden Kelley and charged them with engaging in organized crime. Reed and Bell also face charges of aggravated robbery. Reed faces additional charges for allegedly falsely identifying himself to the police.
Police were dispatched to a bank near Preston and Walnut Hill Lane, where victims reported stolen bank bags and a stolen purse. Police said that the suspects fled the scene in a vehicle.
Half an hour later, police reported that a similar vehicle was seen at another bank on Preston Road, where victims reported more stolen bank bags.
Later, police found the same car in the parking lot of yet another bank on Preston Road, where police apprehended the four suspects. Police were able to recover the victims’ bank bags and personal property.
The robberies occurred in District 13, represented by Council Member Gay Donnell Willis.
A Dallas Police Department investigation into the incident is ongoing.
Engaging in organized crime carries a wide variance of legal penalties subject to prosecutorial discretion.
If charged with and convicted of a state jail felony, the suspects face anywhere from six months to two years. If charged with and convicted of a first-degree felony, the suspects could face anywhere from five to 99 years in prison, an effective life sentence.
A bank robbery in Weatherford last week likewise went awry for the alleged suspect. Weatherford police said 29-year-old Kyung Heo of Lewisville used a fake gun to rob a local bank. He was apprehended soon afterward while hiding in a nearby creek bed.
He had apparently stashed a change of clothing and wading boots in a backpack in the creek bed. When police arrested him, they found more than $23,000 in the backpack.
The City of Dallas has been unable to provide reliable crime statistics, allegedly due to a ransomware attack.
However, available data show that 9,128 reports of larceny and theft offenses were documented year-to-date through the end of April.
According to Police Chief Eddie Garcia, the Dallas Police Department is experiencing a chronic shortage of hundreds of police officers. Other municipalities, such as Fort Worth, have addressed crime in their downtown areas by utilizing dedicated patrols in their city centers.