Police arrested two men Thursday in connection with the Sept. 19 armed robbery of a UH student in Lot 9C.
Police have charged Ricardo Jamel Tangarife, known as “Pretty Ricky,” and Anthony Theis in connection with the robbery, UH Police Chief Ceasar Moore said in a press conference today.
Police suspect Tangarife as the gunman and Theis as the “cleaner” who knowingly accepted the stolen credit card, Moore said.
“Surveillance photos clearly depict the gunman,” Moore said. “The gunman and a female suspect both made purchases with a credit card taken in the robbery.”
Investigators then identified Tangarife through his Elsik High School yearbook photo, Moore said.
“Really all we had was this video of him in the store buying things, and we end up in Elsik High School looking in the yearbook,” Moore said.
Moore said police are still looking for the female suspect, Sue Ortiz, who is a stripper at the Millionaire Boyz Club under the stage-name Roxie, Moore said.
Police are also investigating four other persons of interest, one of whom may be the getaway driver, Moore said.
“We are still investigating the possibility that the rest of the parties are a part of a criminal enterprise operating throughout our city,” Moore said.
Moore said Tangarife went to the Memorial City Mall within 45 minutes of the robbery, where he and Ortiz spent several hundred dollars at the two shoe stores.
Investigators are still looking into the possibility that the robbery was related in some way to the other two robberies that occurred in the same week, Moore said.
“We’re looking at this from the standpoint that there may be city-wide ramifications to this group working throughout the city,” Moore said. “There have been cases in the immediate area away from UH where I see the MO is the same, so we’re exploring those possibilities as well.”
Moore said he wants the UH community to know the police department is confident in its ability to keep the campus safe.
“All efforts are being made to protect the security of the UH students, faculty, staff and visitors,” Moore said. “I just want the citizens of this city to be safe regardless of where they are.”
The victim of the robberies, who asked to remain anonymous, said that while he’s happy the police have caught someone, he isn’t bitter about the robbery.
“I’m not angry at the guy who robbed me, and I hope that coming to justice, or whatever you want to call this, gives him the opportunity to get a new start,” the victim said. “I hope that this is a restorative experience.”
This story was updated with additional information at 6:28 p.m. Sept. 30.
What is so sad is the fact that I know the Ricardo guy. He pulled the same stunt in high school with a teachers credit card but they gave him probation.
Congratulations to Chief C. Moore and the Officers for a job well done on catching the robbery suspects in the crime spree at University of Houston.
To the Universtiy police, Great job guys. That had to take some clever investigating.You most likely prevented a much more serious crime from occurring. Keep up the great work. Thank you.
good turn around time. It’s unfortunate that the crime happened but it’s good to see swift and decisive action.
Hopefully that deters crime for now. Keep it up UHPD