FBI Needs Help to Identify ‘Scrooge Sprayers’ in Houston Armored Car Robbery

Authorities are asking for the public’s assistance in identifying three suspects, dubbed the “Scrooge Sprayers,” who carried out a brazen armored car robbery at the Food Town store located at 5 Uvalde Road in east Harris County on Friday, December 20, 2024.

The incident occurred around 2:14 p.m. when the suspects followed an armored car into the store parking lot. After a courier exited the truck and entered the store, one of the suspects rushed him, attempting to seize his bag containing an undisclosed amount of money. When the courier resisted, a second suspect sprayed him with an unknown substance, temporarily blinding him, before striking him and causing him to fall. The suspects then grabbed the bag and fled in a white Hyundai Elantra driven by a third suspect.

The two robbers who entered the store are described as Black males, approximately 18-22 years old, with thin builds. One wore a black hooded sweater, while the other wore a white hooded sweater and ripped jeans. No description has been provided for the getaway driver.

The FBI Houston Violent Crime Task Force and Harris County Sheriff’s Office are leading the investigation. Crime Stoppers of Houston is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to the identification and arrest of the suspects.

Photographs of the suspects have been released and are available on FBI Houston’s Twitter and Facebook accounts. Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS (8477) or the FBI Houston Field Office at (713) 693-5000. Tips can also be submitted anonymously through the Crime Stoppers website, www.crime-stoppers.org, or their mobile app.