'Little rascals' trio, ages 11, 12 and 16, robbed a Wells Fargo bank in Houston, FBI says
Three children are in FBI custody after federal authorities say they robbed a Wells Fargo bank in the Houston area.
According to the Houston FBI, the robbery happened near the North Freeway and West Road in the Greenspoint area.
Many on social media dubbed the trio the “Little Rascals.” Here's what we know:
Who are the alleged 'Little Rascals' involved in the robbery?
Not to be confused with the titular characters of the '90s movie, the alleged robbers were ages 11, 12 and 16, FBI's Houston Field Office said on X, previously known as Twitter. Because they’re minors, their names and further details have not been released. The minors were charged with robbery by threat.
What happened during the robbery?
According to the Harris County sheriff's office, the minors passed a threatening note to the bank teller. They did not brandish a weapon, though bank employees believed them to be armed. The trio fled on foot with an undisclosed amount of cash, according to officials.
Two of the boys were identified when their parents came forward to authorities. A law enforcement agency detained the third boy after recognizing him during a fight, according to ABC 13.
Mike Schneider, a retired juvenile district court judge, told ABC 13 that the children may have been influenced by an adult to commit the crime.
“I was thinking either this was very low in sophistication or maybe an adult had something to do with this,” he said. “That is not uncommon. Because kids have a punishment that is less severe, it is not uncommon for adult offenders to get them to commit crimes.”
What is the severity of the charges?
Robbery by threat is a second-degree felony, according to the Texas penal code.
According to legal experts, in juvenile court, a judge would likely enter some type of detention or residential treatment, counseling, restitution to victims and possibly more penalties.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: 'Little rascals,' ages 11 to 16, charged in Texas bank robbery: FBI
