Tulsa Police issue warning about roving thugs

A warning to be on the look-out for some roving thugs. Tulsa Police say they've hit two victims this week and are likely looking for more. <br><br>News on Six crime reporter Lori Fullbright says

Friday, May 17th 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

A warning to be on the look-out for some roving thugs. Tulsa Police say they've hit two victims this week and are likely looking for more.

News on Six crime reporter Lori Fullbright says these guys strike in a place most people feel safe, their own driveway. They're 18-19 years old and just drive around looking for a victim, their weapon is a beer bottle, their motive, to steal.

The men drove around the 21st and Harvard area Monday night, looking for victims to surprise. When they saw a man pull into his driveway around 11, they screeched up and jumped out. Sheri, victim's wife; "One of them was holding a beer bottle down by his side, upside down like this. My husband and I talked later, there's only one reason to do that, which is whack somebody with it."

Since Sheri's husband turned and spoke to the men and ruined their element of surprise, they started asking for people who didn't live in the area, then, finally took off. "I'm thinking they were hoping to knock him out and steal his wallet. I really don't know it and really, really scared me."

Not more than 20 minutes later and a mile away, the same two guys found Tyler, he'd just graduated from Hale High and just as he pulled up to a friend's house, the men were upon him. Tyler, assault victim: "He punched me right here and then, hit me with a bottle." Tyler got away, the men grabbed the face plate off his car stereo and took off, which seems a small reward for such big aggression. "I think they were trying to knock me out and steal my car."

The thugs were both white, around 19, 20 years old, one was 5' 9", 175 pounds with medium length dark hair and a mustache. The other was 5' 8", 170 pounds with short dark hair. They were in a white Honda CRX or Civic hatchback with a loud single exhaust pipe.

Both Tyler and Sheri want to warn others to be on the look-out. "If they're crazy enough to commit assault just for a car stereo, what else are they gonna do. I just think people need to know this is going on so no one else gets hurt."

The police officer who took the reports says they've seen this type of crime in Dallas for the past year, so figure, that big city crime is now migrating here. People need to be aware if they're being followed and look around your driveway before you get out, it's a vulnerable area, because you're home, feel safe and take fewer precautions than you would out somewhere.