SAGINAW, Texas — Earlier this week, police in White Settlement released surveillance video of suspects committing vehicle burglaries in different neighborhoods. In one of those instances, a homeowner who was sitting in his vehicle at the time was shot.
Now, police believe the same suspects have been seen check for unlocked car doors in a neighborhood in Saginaw, which is about 10 miles away from White Settlement.
A security camera recorded the suspects around 3 a.m. Sunday in the area of Giddyup Lane in Saginaw. One of the suspects can be seen carrying a handgun.
That's why police chiefs like Chris Cook in White Settlement are sounding the alarm. Based on preliminary information, Cook believes the suspects are possibly in their late teens or early twenties.
"They're really putting their lives in jeopardy as suspects as well. They're going to come across the wrong house and someone's going to use deadly force," Cook said. "What's most concerning to us is that someone's going to be killed."
Cook believes the Saginaw suspects are the same burglars caught on camera over the weekend who his investigators hope to identify. In one case, a suspect fired shots and injured a man who was in the passenger seat.
"After the shooting, which happened around 2 in the morning, we have other surveillance video. 3, 3:30, 4 in the morning where they still didn't leave the area. They started burglarizing other cars," said Cook.
Cook and his law enforcement partners in Saginaw, Fort Worth, Lake Worth and on the federal level are in contact with each other. They are waiting on evidence that could reveal if their cases are connected. Cook has even reached out to agents at the ATF.
Tarrant County District Attorney Phil Sorrels also offers assistance to local police departments when it comes to fighting crimes, especially when it's organized like the group of suspects appear to be.
"We're going to build an engaging and organized crime offense against all four of these suspects, even though we only believe one was the shooter. All of them should be prosecuted under Texas statutes of engaging in organized criminal activity," Cook said. "And so, the more offense reports that we can link them to, the more that we can tie them to, the better off as we proceed through the judicial system to make sure that they get justice that they deserve."
"We got the cellphone. It's being analyzed today by the Cherokee County District Attorney's Office. So, we're optimistic that it's going to belong to one of our suspects," Cook added.
Identifying the suspects is something Arlington police are interested in because of the unsolved murder of 36-year-old Ali Ismail. On Feb. 14 around 5 a.m., Arlington detectives believe he surprised car burglars who then shot him and ran away.
With more video popping up and similar cases across several North Texas cities, Cook gives this warning to everyone.
"Keep your cars locked," said Cook. "Don't keep your garage door openers in your car either, have motion detector lights, keep your front door to your residence locked because it's scary."