Citizens Collect $5,000 Rewards in Helping Nab Three Houston Robbery Suspects

Thanks to the help of three citizens who will each collect a $ 5,000 reward from Crime Stoppers, the FBI has been able to put the cuffs on whom they say are three dangerous bank robbers. The FBI gives much of the credit to the news media, who provided continuous coverage and to the citizens who provided the information. The three bank robbers were known by the names "The Count," "The Flasher," and "Desperate Dad."

"Desperate Dad" had a unique MO when committing his robbery. He played on the sympathy of the bank teller he was about to rob by handing the teller a note telling all of his problems and about the hard luck he was having. Police have arrested Edward James Lyons. Lyons actually turned himself in when he found out that someone had fingered him as the robber and a warrant has been issued for his arrest. He has been charged with robbing the Wachovia bank at 4906 San Felipe in Houston back on March 6, 2007.

The second alleged robber is "The Count." He got his nick name because he would count backward from ten to zero as the teller was filling up the bag with the money. He was identified by one of the tipsters as being Terrance Andre Manuel. He has been arrested for robbing the Compass Bank at 204 W. 19 th Street in Houston.

The last one who has been arrested has the interesting nickname of "The Flasher." He did not get his nick name in the way some are thinking. He got it because he would flash the tellers a peak at the weapon in his waistband. He has been identified as James Edward Crooks, Jr. He has been charged with robbing the Capital One Bank at 7919 Kirby in Houston.

According to the Houston FBI Bank Robbery Task Force, the number bank robberies in Houston have risen dramatically in 2007. For example, in the whole of 2006, there were 54 reported bank robberies, 39 in the city of Houston itself and 15 in Harris County. In just the first eight months of 2007, there have been 80 bank robberies-59 in the City of Houston and21 in Harris County.