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An HPD robbery crackdown has put a special task force on Houston streets.

The dozens of lawmen and women are part of what’s being called “The Robbery Reduction Initiative.”

KHOU - TV

“The Robbery Reduction Initiative” takes flight in Houston

The idea is to have police respond to robberies before crooks have a chance to escape.

Officials made the move because they said that it is not uncommon to have 100 robberies on Friday and Saturday nights.

Wednesday night officers began patrolling the Greenspoint Mall area.

The new initiative is federally funded.

The monies were made available after Katrina.

Officials said it’s much needed.  They said that from January 1 to July 1 of this year 6,690 robberies have been committed inside Houston’s city limits.

There were 6,151 robberies during the same time last year.

The detectives working the initiative make all the robbery calls, check out leads and run plates from time to time.

License plates looking for stolen vehicles also called “rolling stolen”.

More often, officials said, people who commit robberies will drive stolen vehicles.

The initiative hits Houston streets twice a week.