HOUSTON — A Baytown woman is accused of renting cars police claim were used in a series of armed robberies, including a home invasion that left one resident dead, according to court documents.
Houston police said the suspect, identified as a 30-year-old Baytown resident, rented seven vehicles through the car sharing mobile app, Turo.
Records filed Thursday said she has been arrested and charged with engaging in organized crime - aggravated robbery.
According to court documents, at least four of the rented vehicles have been linked to aggravated robberies in the Galleria area. In each case, thousands of dollars in jewelry and other expensive items were taken.
Investigators said she rented the vehicles for use in a dangerous scheme involving a man, who court documents identified as her longtime boyfriend and the father of her children.
Her boyfriend and a second man, who shares his last name and was out on probation, were both arrested on June 16 and charged with aggravated robbery.
The earliest robbery incident happened on May 7.
According to a report, a male victim had stepped out of his Rolls Royce and was walking to his hotel in the Galleria area when he was approached by an armed man.
Police said the alleged robbers took the victim's watch, which was valued at $100,000. They reportedly then jumped into a black Chevrolet Malibu but abandoned the vehicle a short distance away.
The woman had reported the vehicle stolen with Baytown Police Department a short time later. The suspect allegedly told police she had left the keys inside the Malibu by mistake.
On May 20, police responded to another case in the Galleria involving one of the suspect's rented cars.
According to investigators, four men riding in a white Cadillac CT5 followed the victim to his home. Once there, investigators said they entered the garage and forced the victim into his home. They were able to escape with several expensive watches.
Court documents said the incident was caught on camera, and investigators recognized one of the men's shoes from a murder case.
On May 27, investigators said two armed men approached a resident while he was standing inside the garage of his Galleria-area home. Police said the victim ran inside and tried to hold the door shut but was shot dead. They said the suspects left in an Audi Q5 with a distinctive roof-rack and non-standard dark-colored rims.
On May 31, Houston police responded to a home invasion in the Clear Lake area.
There, investigators said two armed robbers forced the victim into his sister's house and bound him with zip ties. They demanded the victim give them access to the house's safe but were told there wasn't one, so they took $500 and a driver's license from the victim's pocket and dashed. Officers said the suspects left in a black Mercedes.
Court documents stated the latest incident was at a house near the Galleria area on June 8. This time, police said three armed men were able to steal several items from the victim, including a watch worth $25,000.
Investigators said surveillance video showed the victim in his Bentley being followed by a light-colored GMC Yukon Denali moments before the home invasion.
According to police, tracking records showed each of the vehicles in this case being brought to the Baytown woman's apartment, going to the scene of the crimes and then returning.
She claimed her boyfriend drove each of the vehicles, but police suspect she had full knowledge of the crimes. Police have reason to believe she was providing the vehicles for the robberies, court documents said.
While her boyfriend was in police custody, court records said the couple discussed the rented vehicles. Investigators noted he contacted her at the phone number she used to set up her Turo account.
