Three charged in Friendswood armed robbery

FRIENDSWOOD, TX Jorge Alfonso Martinez, 25, Rodolfo Martinez Maldonado, 21, and Mario Martinez Maldonado, 19, have been charged with aggravated robbery in connection with the incident in the parking lot of the HEB on 701 W. Parkwood. The men approached the woman with a gun and took her purse.

The robbery was part of a three-hour crime spree by the trio. Houston police say the group committed similar robberies off Edgebrook at approximately 11:00am. Twenty-five minutes later they committed the same offense at the Walmart on El Dorado. The Friendswood robbery was next, followed by a robbery in La Marque, of which the trio is also suspected.

In all four robberies, the suspects produced a gun and ordered the female victims to give up their purses. None of the victims were physically injured.

Houston police arrested Martinez for a traffic violation late September 1. The vehicle Martinez was driving had several bullet holes which may be connected to the La Marque robbery. Property taken from the victims has been recovered at the residence of two of the suspects. Friendswood, La Marque and Houston detectives connected the trio to the four robberies.

The Maldonados are brothers and Martinez is their cousin. All are from Houston.

The three suspects are being held at the Harris County Jail pending posting of bond.