2 Meyerland neighbors robbed at home a month apart have Chase bank trip in common

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Two Meyerland residents who were brazenly attacked at their homes, just weeks apart, have one thing in common - they had both just taken money out of the Chase Bank along the I-610 West Loop and Beechnut.

Now, the Houston Police Department is investigating whether these cases are related.

On Wednesday, Laura Borja went to the Chase Bank to get $140 for the cleaning lady. In a video recorded on her home Ring doorbell camera, Borja is seen holding a white envelope in her left hand as she opens the door with her right. The video shows a man wearing a dark hoodie and long pants rushing behind her. He grabs the envelope, turns, and runs away.

The video shows the man wearing orange underwear, running away and leaving in a black sedan. Borja screams after him.

"He kind of pushed me a little bit and turned around, and I had that face right in front of me," she said. "I started screaming like crazy because I didn't know what he was going to do. I didn't know if he had something in his hand."

Left with a scratch on her finger and out $140, Borja and her family shared the Ring doorbell video, hoping to figure out who the robber was.

She would soon learn she wasn't alone.

On May 13, almost exactly one month ago, Steve Strauss also went to the same Chase bank. He withdrew a few hundred dollars of vacation spending money and drove back to his Meyerland home.

It was 3 in the afternoon, Strauss remembers, and he pulled into his garage. The suspect took Strauss' vacation money and punched the retired lawyer several times in the face. Strauss was dazed as he walked out of his garage.

"I came home, opened the garage door. (I) realized it had been raining, so I go to turn the sprinklers off," Strauss said. "Next thing I know, the guy's in front of me."

Strauss' video shows a man jumping out of a black sedan and running toward his garage.

"A young guy with a hoodie. I kind of knew what was going to happen. He just pushed me down, swung at me a couple of times. He did not take my wallet. He only took the envelope with the cash," Strauss said.

Strauss was left with a black eye but is otherwise OK.

When comparing surveillance videos, the getaway cars in both robberies appear to be the same. Strauss said he believes it's an older black Nissan sedan. Houston police began looking into whether these two incidents are related after calls from ABC13. It's clear to the victims at least two, if not more, suspects are involved in these juggings.

Both Borja and Strauss are certain that they were followed from Chase at the West Loop. If the videos and cars look familiar, Houston police are urging you to call them.

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