Deputy Editor
Police have begun making arrests to bust at least one robbery ring that targeted poker players leaving Houston card clubs.
According to a report from Houston’s local ABC station, police have arrested four men believed to have perpetrated as many as 20 robberies. They primarily targeted Lucky J Social Club in the Western part of Houston.
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Robbers Foiled After Failed Attack
The Houston poker robbery ring typically picked out a player leaving a session at a local card room. They would then follow the player to a house or hotel, where they’d steal wallets and whatever cash the player had on his or her person.
That pattern allowed them to avoid any run-ins with security. The ABC report said Lucky J security “includes law enforcement officers in full uniform.”
However, a botched robbery of a 70-year-old man put three of the accused in handcuffs. Police arrested Keyveon and Keion Thompson, as well as Jayden Christopher Batiste and Exavier Dwayne Brown.
The three suspects allegedly followed the man home and attempted to steal his wallet. When he resisted and his wife screamed at them, according to another news outlet, they sped away and crashed a car before trying to escape on foot.
The attack matches the pattern of another area robbery that PokerScout covered last week. The victim in that case said he sustained broken bones in his face and that the robbers made off with thousands of dollars in cash and valuables.
More Arrests Coming, Per Report
According to the local ABC station, the four arrests listed above are just the beginning as authorities work to put an end to the poker robbery ring. At least two other rooms were reportedly targeted in addition to Lucky J.
“Sources say more suspects and more charges are coming,” an on-site reporter said.
The Houston poker scene has a somewhat troubled history, and local players will hope the string of arrests puts an end to the latest danger in the area.
