El Rancho smash-and-grab: 8 arrested for latest robbery in Fort Worth
8 arrested for El Rancho robbery in Fort Worth
Police are investigating a string of smash-and-grab robberies at El Rancho grocery stores in North Texas. The most recent incident was in Fort Worth on Sunday, where multiple people were arrested.
FORT WORTH, Texas - Police are investigating a string of smash-and-grab robberies at El Rancho grocery stores in North Texas.
The most recent incident was in Fort Worth on Sunday, where multiple people were arrested.
Fort Worth El Rancho Smash-and-Grab
What's new:
Police said four masked men came into the El Rancho store on North Main Street in Fort Worth on Sunday just before the Super Bowl.
They smashed the glass cases and got away with thousands of dollars’ worth of jewelry.
But video from inside the store helped police quickly arrest eight suspects.
"Quick response from a lot of people, video going out and all that, great detective work, great intel work. We were able to arrest eight people from that occurrence. And it was less than probably 24 hours that we were able to apprehend those people," said Fort Worth Police Officer Tracy Carter.
FOX 4 obtained mugshots for seven of the eight people who were arrested.
They include: 51-year-old Dexter Ray Mitchell, 23-year-old Vanessa Thompson, 33-year-old Dexter Mitchell, 25-year-old Christian Venson, 22-year-old Reginald Mitchell, 17-year-old Daniya Smith, 36-year-old Lester Emerson, and 36-year-old Shonton Howard.
El Rancho Smash-and-Grab Pattern
What we know:
Smash-and-grabs at jewelry stores inside El Rancho grocery stores have become a pattern.
On Jan. 24, the location on Coit Road in Dallas was hit.
The family that owns that jewelry counter also owns the counter at the Dallas store on Gus Thomason and Ferguson Roads. It was hit in December.
Dallas jewelry robbery: Police looking for suspects in smash-and-grab
Surveillance video shows a smash-and-grab at a Far East Dallas jewelry business on Sunday.
FOX 4 spoke to Angel Cuenca in December. He said his parents’ business helped him through college.
"It’s unfortunate. Someone working 80 hours a week and have their American dream snatched away from them. It’s what put me through Texas Tech and SMU," he said.
What we don't know:
Fort Worth said it’s too early to tell if the crimes are connected.
"If there is other people that are out there that are doing this and maybe it’s tied together, hopefully those people will work with us and we’ll bring them to justice. But as of this time, I can’t say they are related right now," Officer Carter said.
Smash-and-grabs have happened at El Rancho stores in the Houston area, too.
The sheriff there said the crimes seem similar, but law enforcement officials have not officially connected them.
The Source: The information in this story comes from the Fort Worth Police Department and past news coverage.