On way to holdup call, officer sees suspects at second robbery scene

KELLER -- Police thwarted a robbery spree Wednesday night after an officer stopped a car that authorities believe was used in two holdups within minutes of each other.

Officer John Martin spotted the car in the parking lot of a convenience store on his way to the first holdup call.

After two men were arrested, police discovered an undisclosed amount of cash under a car seat, according to police reports.

"He (Martin) had a description of the suspect’s car and happened to see it as a man ran to it and jumped into the passenger side," Keller police Lt. Brenda Slovak said Thursday. "It turned out the man was running from a second holdup."

The robbery spree began shortly before 8 p.m. Wednesday at Tetco, 104. S. Main St.

A man posing as a customer grabbed some cash after he acted like he was going to buy some items, Slovak said.

Within seconds, the man fled and the clerk called police.

Just minutes later as police responded to the Tetco holdup, authorities said the same man entered Bear Creek Mini-Mart in the 100 block of Bear Creek Parkway, posed as a customer and grabbed some cash after acting like he was going to buy some items.

The man ran out of the store and jumped into a silver Saturn, according to police reports.

That’s when Martin saw the car and stopped it before it left the parking lot of Bear Creek Mini-Mart.

Authorities believe a 23-year-old Fort Worth man was driving the car and a 26-year-old Fort Worth man had been the man walking into the stores.

Police did not release the names of the suspects because they had not been arraigned.