Special to the American Press

A Houston teen has been arrested in connection with a string of armed robberies in Lake Charles.

On Monday, Nov. 28, at 8:49 p.m., officers with the Lake Charles Police Department responded to an armed robbery complaint at a business in the 3100 block of Gerstner Memorial Drive.

The suspect entered the business, produced a firearm and demanded money from the register. With the firearm in hand, the suspect then jumped over the counter and retrieved an undetermined amount of cash from the register before fleeing the area on foot.

Detectives were assigned this investigation and began reviewing video surveillance, collecting evidence and conducting witness interviews. They learned the suspect entered the business wearing a hooded jacket and a mask. Evidence collected from the scene was turned over to the Southwest Louisiana Crime Laboratory for processing.

On Monday, Dec. 5, at 6:34 p.m., officers responded to the 3200 block of Gerstner Memorial Drive in reference to an armed robbery of a business.

Upon their arrival, officers learned that a suspect entered the business, produced a firearm and demanded cash and cellular phones from an employee. The suspect, who was wearing a hooded jacket and a mask, fled the area on foot with an undetermined amount of cash and several cell phones.

On Friday, Dec. 9, at 6:19 p.m., officers were dispatched to the 3000 block of Gerstner Memorial Drive in reference to an armed robbery of a business.

Upon their arrival, officers learned that a suspect, who was wearing a hooded jacket and a mask, entered the business, produced a firearm and demanded cash and cellular phones from an employee. The suspect fled the area on foot with an undetermined amount of cash and one cell phone.

After viewing hours of video surveillance, detectives were able to link the same suspect to all three armed robberies.

On Friday, Dec. 16, detectives received preliminary results from the Southwest Louisiana Crime Laboratory, identifying the suspect as a  juvenile from the Houston, Texas area.

Detectives obtained a Juvenile Custodial Affidavit Warrant and on Monday at approximately 10:13 a.m., LCPD SWAT Officers arrested the juvenile suspect, without incident, at a residence in the 2900 block of General Patton Street in Lake Charles.

Following the juvenile’s arrest, detectives and LCPD evidence officers executed a search warrant on the residence and recovered some of the stolen items and a firearm.

Judge Cynthia Clay Guillory signed the Juvenile Custodial Affidavit. The juvenile is in the custody of the Office of Juvenile Justice Service.

This is an ongoing investigation and anyone with additional information is asked to contact lead Detectives Sgt. Dustin Fontenot or Sgt. William Loving by calling (337) 491-1311.