Gun-toting Texas uncle wastes no time punching holes in armed crooks he sees robbing his nephew

A trio of armed robbers ran headlong into bad luck last week when their plot to steal a victim's watch during what was supposed to be an in-person sale was thwarted after the victim's gun-toting uncle saw the crime unfolding and opened fire, police in Texas said.

Mark Herman, Precinct 4 Constable of Harris County, described what went down during a news conference; his remarks begin just before the 14-minute mark.

'Why would you go meet someone you don't know to try to sell something in a parking lot?'

Herman said the victim was attempting to sell his watch and agreed to meet the buyer around 8 p.m. Thursday outside a Costco in the 26940 block of Northwest Freeway. The location is in Cypress, which is about 30 minutes northwest of Houston.

But the buyer had no intention of paying for the watch. Instead, he brought two other people with him, and they ended up pulling guns on the victim in an attempt to rob him, Herman said.

While they ended up taking the watch, Herman said the victim's uncle walked out of the Costco, saw the robbery happening, and opened fire.

In fact, Herman said the uncle ended up shooting two of the three suspects before they all fled the scene.

Two of the suspects — ages 17 and 18 — were hospitalized, Herman said, adding that one of them had surgery, and both are expected to survive. Herman said aggravated robbery charges will be filed against both of them.

The third suspect — age 16 — also was arrested and charged with aggravated robbery and turned over to juvenile authorities.

Police said multiple firearms as well as the stolen property were recovered during the investigation.

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KRIV-TV's video report indicated that it's not known if the uncle came with his nephew for the transaction or if he just happened to be in the right place at the right time.

In the end, Herman cautioned against such in-person transactions — even when they're in public places, noting "how much more public can you get" than outside a Costco.

"Why would you go meet someone you don't know to try to sell something in a parking lot?" Herman noted during the news conference. "Why even put yourself in that position?"

He added that there have been cases in which strangers come to houses for transactions — and "now they know where you live."

"Don't do it," Herman warned, adding that "for a few hundred dollars you're risking your life" and that "it's all common sense."

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