HOUSTON -- A special Houston Police Department unit is out to crack down on the unusual rise in robberies across the city. While it's not unusual to see a spike in robberies during the summer, police said this year it is different.

They believe at least five serial robbery teams are working in the city. They also attribute the rise in robberies to people who are trying to make quick cash to pay for more expensive gas, food and to keep a roof over the heads.

Hundreds of the robbery suspects are behind bars, but there are plenty still on the streets said police.

Ashley Wallace is one of those already in jail. She is a mother of four small children, but also a suspect in 19-armed robberies.

Wallace said because her boyfriend couldn't find a job on account of his felony record, they went on a crime spree to pay for rent.

Over a two-week period, they held up people at gunpoint demanding money. In one night, they held up nine people, all because the rent was coming due.

After a victim could make out the license plate on the getaway car after one of the robberies, Wallace and her beau Andre Cole Brisby were jailed.

She claims she only went along for the robberies because Brisby threatened to hurt her kids if she didn't help him out.

HPD said usually 25-percent of the summer robberies could be directly linked to kids out of school with nothing better to do. However, this summer's hike has prompted the department's robbery division to form the Major Case Squad.

Details of how many officers will be part of the squad and what areas of town, they will work are still being worked out. They hope to have the squad on the streets soon so that they can apprehend people like Wallace and Brisby.

Meanwhile, Wallace waits in jail for a court date, hoping she can convince a judge to have mercy on her.