On the evening of the Fourth of July, a group of three men was caught on surveillance video setting off a firework inside of a fireworks retail warehouse and stealing merchandise.
The incident occurred at a Top Dog Fireworks Warehouse location at 14424 E Fwy. in east Houston, Texas. According to a surveillance video released on July 14 by the Harris County Fire Marshall’s Office, a trio of men can be seen pulling into the warehouse’s parking lot in a silver SUV and entering the store.
Then, at around 10:30 p.m., one of the men lit a firework and set it down in the aisle. He was wearing a black Texans football jersey with (Jadeveon) Clowney and the number 90 on it. Afterward, he and his friends quickly walk away.
Shoppers in the immediate area ran away as the firework began spewing smoke and sparks. Two shoppers unsuccessfully attempted to approach the firework and stomp out its flames.
Customers evacuated, and eventually, a man arrived with a fire extinguisher and put the firework out. Luckily, it did not set off any of the other fireworks surrounding it, and no one appears to have been injured.
The men are accused of using the exploding firework as a distraction to steal around $200 worth of merchandise from the store. The Harris County Fire Marshall’s Office, police, and Crime Stoppers of Houston are all asking for the public’s help identifying and apprehending the suspects.
The Fire Marshall’s Office released several still images taken from surveillance footage, which show the suspects’ faces and vehicle.
Anyone with information about this crime or the suspects is asked to call Crime Stoppers to submit tips. Crime Stoppers says it will pay up to $5,000 to anyone who submits information that leads to the suspects being arrested or charged with felonies.
You can call 713-222-TIPS (8477) to submit tips or do so online at the official Crime Stoppers of Houston website: www.crime-stoppers.org. Tips will remain anonymous.
