On 5/8/2021 at 10:51 AM, Red Oak Police Department personnel were dispatched to Watkins Park located at 298 Liveoak Street in reference to a stolen vehicle in progress. The on-duty dispatcher advised officers that several black male subjects had forcefully taken the keys from a 14-year-old girl that was getting something from her parent’s vehicle.
Three of the four subjects entered the White 2006 Ford Expedition and fled the scene eastbound on Red Oak Road towards SH-342. Dispatch further advised that family members of the victim were following the vehicle in their personal vehicles and relaying their location to dispatch.
Ovilla Police Department and Ellis County Assisted
At around 10:53 AM, the three subjects bailed out of the stolen vehicle in the parking lot of 109 W. Red Oak road as multiple Red Oak Police Department personnel were arriving. Two of the three subjects were taken into custody after short foot pursuits. Red Oak Police Department personnel started a canine track for the third subject and advised dispatch to contact the Ovilla Police Department and Ellis County Sheriff’s office for assistance.
Dispatch advised that another subject had allegedly remained in the park area and citizens had the subject trapped in a park bathroom. Red Oak Police Department personnel requested that the Ovilla Police Department and Ellis County Sheriff’s Office personnel be directed to Watkins park for the fourth subject. Red Oak Police Department personnel took the third subject into custody after a Red Oak Police Department canine tracked the subject to bushes where the subject was hiding. Shortly thereafter, dispatch advised that Ovilla Police Department and Ellis County Sheriff’s Office personnel had arrived on scene and taken the fourth subject into custody.
The stolen vehicle was subsequently returned to the owner and each suspect was taken into custody and transported to the Red Oak Police Department. The juveniles were subsequently transported to the Ellis County Juvenile Detention Center for their alleged involvement in the robbery and engaging in organized crime offenses.
Suspects Are Juveniles
1. Suspect # 1 is a male juvenile from Duncanville and will not be identified pursuant to state law but has been referred to the Ellis County Juvenile Detention Center for his alleged involvement in the offenses.
2. Suspect # 2 is a male juvenile from Grand Prairie and will not be identified pursuant to state law but has been referred to the Ellis County Juvenile Detention Center for his alleged involvement in the offenses.
3. Suspect # 3 is a male juvenile from Dallas and will not be identified pursuant to state law but has been referred to the Ellis County Juvenile Detention Center for his alleged involvement in the offenses.
4. Suspect # 4 is a male juvenile from Dallas and will not be identified pursuant to state law but has been referred to the Ellis County Juvenile Detention Center for his alleged involvement in the offenses.
The Red Oak Police Department would like to say THANK YOU to our citizens, the Ovilla Police Department and the Ellis County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance. This was a perfect example of how the community and local law enforcement can work together to send a message that crime will not be tolerated in our communities.