A Houston gas station worker says a man swiped an alcoholic drink without paying, and when confronted, pulled a black knife and tried to slash at him before pedaling off on a blue bicycle. Houston police are now asking the public to help identify the suspect in the early-morning encounter, which happened at approximately 2:15 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 4.
According to houstonpolicerobbery.org, the complainant was working at a gas station on the 5400 block of N. Shepherd Drive when the suspect walked in, grabbed an alcoholic drink and attempted to leave without paying. A separate post from Houston Police Robbery
describes the same aggravated robbery as happening on the 4500 block of N. Shepherd Drive, so the exact address remains unclear even as detectives work the same case.
Police say the clerk confronted the suspect and grabbed the man's bicycle, at which point the suspect brandished a black knife and attempted to slash the complainant. The suspect then fled the scene in an unknown direction, according to the same account. The Houston Police Department's Robbery Division is now seeking public assistance identifying the man responsible, and the case has been logged under Houston PD case number 1120037-26.
Who Police Are Looking For
Investigators describe the suspect as a white male with a bald head, last seen riding a blue bicycle. No further description has been released, and the report notes officers do not know which direction he fled after the confrontation.
Robbery detectives say they regularly share unsolved cases like this one with the community in hopes that someone recognizes the suspect. Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers of Houston directly, since tips must be sent to that organization to qualify for anonymity and any potential reward.
Reward Money And How To Report A Tip
Crime Stoppers of Houston may pay up to $5,000 for information leading to the charging or arrest of a felony suspect, per the police report. Tipsters can call 713-222-TIPS (8477), submit an online tip or use the Crime Stoppers mobile app, and must contact Crime Stoppers directly to remain anonymous and be considered for payment.
This is not the only unsolved robbery case on this stretch of Houston's north side. Back on April 17, two suspects entered a business in the 3400 block of N. Shepherd Drive, where one suspect grabbed two items and ran out without paying while a second suspect held the door, according to the same houstonpolicerobbery.org report.
Robberies Have Been Trending Down Citywide
The Sept. 4 incident comes even as robbery numbers have been falling across Houston. HPD reported a 34% decrease in robberies during the first quarter of 2026 compared with the same period in 2025, according to Houston Public Media. Robbery reports had already dropped 22.6% from 2024 to 2025 citywide, per the same outlet's reporting on HPD data.
That decline mirrors a broader national trend: robberies were down 20.4% during the first quarter of 2026 among U.S. departments tracked by the Major Cities Chiefs Association, Houston Public Media reported. Still, HPD recorded 49 murders and 67 roadway fatalities during that same three-month stretch, underscoring that violent crime remains an ongoing concern even as some categories trend downward.
For now, the man accused of pulling a knife on a N. Shepherd Drive gas station worker remains unidentified. Anyone who recognizes the bald, bicycle-riding suspect is urged to call Crime Stoppers rather than contact police directly, to remain eligible for the reward.
