The streets of Houston may have gotten a bit safer as the Houston Police Department recently reported the arrest of Ronald Albert, 35, a man who, is charged with three armed robberies and is suspected of at least four more, this suspected string of crimes follows Albert's release after serving time for previous offenses. Albert’s connection to recent armed robberies in Houston emerged through HPD Robbery Division's diligence, with incidents tracking back to June where a Subway on Antoine Dr. was victimized and employees were threatened at gunpoint; other locations that fell prey include a north Houston restaurant and a West Mount Houston Road gas station, where Albert showed his readiness to pull the trigger, according to KHOU.
Albert, who had just served less than a year of a ten-year prison sentence for similar felonies, was again caught on surveillance cameras carrying out the crimes, Detective G.D. Garcia with the Robbery Division explained that he seems to have grown increasingly bold since his last stint in jail, and during a June 5 robbery Garcia mentioned Albert was seen firing his weapon, a reckless gesture that luckily did not result in bodily harm, as reported in an interview with ABC13. Notably, Albert’s selection of victims has a disturbing pattern, often targeting Spanish-speaking female employees at times when businesses are less populated, a tactic that amplifies their vulnerability in the haunting dance of crime.
The police's plea for additional information hints at the looming fear that the timeline of Albert's known crimes – January, March, May, and June – suggests there may be other victims or incidents yet uncovered. With the implications of such gaps in the incidents, Houston police are reaching out to the public for any leads that could further piece together the extent of Albert's criminal endeavors because, as Garcia pointedly remarked, "The possibilities are endless what he's done in these eight months." In the meantime, Albert’s bond has been denied, and the community breathes a cautious sigh of relief as they await further developments, as per ABC13.
For anyone with information about other potential victims or those who might have aided Albert, authorities encourage contacting the Houston Police at 713-308-0700.
