Last Wednesday in downtown Fort Worth, a hotel worker was tied up while thieves made off with a safe, setting off a heavy police response and a robbery investigation. The employee was not hurt, but detectives are now trying to track down the suspects, who remain unidentified and at large.
Where It Happened
Around 5:25 a.m., about 15 police units swarmed the Hilton Garden Inn near downtown after a 911 caller reported a man with a gun, according to the Fort Worth Star‑Telegram. Officers fanned out across the property in the early morning light, checking the grounds and talking with potential witnesses.
Police Account
Investigators later learned the call was tied to a robbery, not an active gunman. Police say suspects confronted a hotel employee, tied his feet, then removed a safe before taking off, according to CBS News Texas. The outlet reports the worker was not injured, and detectives officially reclassified the incident as a robbery after the initial armed-person alert.
Local Context
The theft comes as Fort Worth officials are turning up the heat on so-called problem properties following a run of crime complaints. The city recently filed suit against a motel on East Lancaster in an effort to force owners to address what it calls “chronic criminal activity,” according to KERA News. City leaders say civil action and focused enforcement are key tools in tamping down recurring public safety hot spots.
Detectives from the Fort Worth Police Department's Robbery Unit are now handling the hotel case. No arrests have been made, and police have not released any suspect descriptions, according to CBS News Texas. Investigators are reviewing surveillance footage and interviewing witnesses as they work to piece together who pulled off the early morning heist.
