Three boys, aged 11, 12, and 16, who have been playfully dubbed the “Little Rascals,” made headlines recently after their own parents turned them in for robbing a bank in Houston.
While most kids typically spend their school spring breaks engaged in activities like video games, TV, or hanging out with friends, these three juveniles from Houston had other plans. They chose to utilize their free time by orchestrating a bank robbery in the Greenspoint area of north Houston on March 14.
According to authorities, the trio entered a Wells Fargo bank, passed a threatening note to a teller, and made off on foot with an undisclosed sum of money. When law enforcement reviewed the surveillance footage, they were taken aback by the young age of the perpetrators.
Mike Schneider, a retired juvenile district court judge, expressed his surprise at the youth of the offenders, stating, “The age of the younger two, that’s unusual for a bank robbery, it’s one of the first times I’ve seen that.” He speculated that either the robbery lacked sophistication or an adult might have been involved, which is not uncommon in such cases.
While the police haven’t disclosed if there were additional accomplices, the trio, affectionately nicknamed the “little rascals,” now face charges of robbery by threat, classified as a second-degree felony. If found guilty, they could be subjected to probation until the age of 18 or juvenile detention until they turn 19, as per a criminal defense attorney.
Although the three juvenile offenders, aged 11, 12, and 16, did not brandish a firearm during the robbery, the note they presented to the teller led authorities to believe they were armed, according to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office.
Following a review of bank surveillance footage, the FBI circulated posters featuring the images of the young perpetrators with the caption, “Recognize these ‘Little Rascals?’ Believe it or not, they just robbed a bank.” Subsequently, the parents of the two youngest boys voluntarily surrendered their sons to authorities.
The 16-year-old was apprehended separately after being involved in an unrelated altercation and subsequently identified by law enforcement.
Bill Daly, a former FBI investigator, emphasized the severity of the crime, stating, “There’s nothing light-hearted about this crime… If police were to confront the perpetrators inside the bank, regardless of their young age, any perceived threat could lead to dire consequences.”
