February 23, 2015

Up to $100,000 Offered for Capture of the Killers of Brinks Armored Guard Alvin Kinney

The Houston area is leading the nation in armored car robberies, but the latest, resulting in the death of Brinks armored guard Alvin Kinney—a beloved husband and father—has ignited and shocked the community over the tactics and level of violence displayed by a group of killers who remain at large. FBI investigators say the veteran Brinks guard never stood a chance as the masked and armed assailants ambushed and executed Kinney in broad daylight in the Galleria area of Houston, Texas. The FBI Violent Crime Task Force, Houston Police Department, and other area law enforcement partners and private agencies are coming together in a show of force and to plea for the public’s help to solve this case and take a stand against violent aggravated robberies across the Houston and Harris County area. In 2014, the Greater Houston area led the nation with eight armored car robberies, or 20 percent of the national total for that year. Houston’s Violent Crimes Task Force responds to approximately 120 bank robberies each year—more than 40 percent of those robberies are violent takeover robberies. The national average for takeover bank robberies is six percent. In 2014, the FBI enhanced the Violent Crimes Task Force with additional personnel and resources to address the alarming trend.

A digital billboard campaign launched on February 23 touting an up to $100,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and identification of the masked gunmen and any others who took part in this violent robbery and murder at 2:10 p.m. on February 12, 2015. Crime Stoppers of Houston is sponsoring the reward with $50,000 being offered by Brinks and $50,000 being offered by the FBI. Clear Channel Outdoor will post messages on digital billboards across the Greater Houston area to publish the reward and a picture of the stolen white Ford F-250 truck driven by the armed men before and after the robbery and murder. The vehicle, pictured below, was stolen from the Pipeline Grill in Baytown, Texas in May 2014. The stolen Ford F-250 had a tool box. At the time of the robbery, it also had blue and white decals with the wording “HRT Houston Road Transit JV” on the driver’s side and rear tailgate of the vehicle.

Stolen white Ford F-250 truck driven by armed men before and after their robbery and murder of Brinks armored guard Alvin Kinney on February 12, 2015. The vehicle was stolen from the Pipeline Grill in Baytown, Texas in May 2014.

Billboard for the robbery and murder of a Brinks guard on February 12, 2015 featuring the vehicle used by the criminals.

On February 12, 2015, at 2:10 p.m., a Brinks armored guard team was making a delivery at the Capital One Bank, located at 5718 Westheimer Road in Houston, Texas. As Brinks guard Kinney was returning to his vehicle, at least three armed assailants wearing body armor and face-shield masks approached Kinney and opened fire without any verbal warning. The gunmen fired at both Kinney and his partner, fatally shooting Kinney. While also under fire, the second Brinks guard returned fire as the assailants backed up a stolen white Ford F-250 truck and quickly loaded several bags of cash. Houston Police officers quickly recovered the stolen white F-250 abandoned by the assailants near the Capital One Plaza, located at 2000 Bering Drive in Houston, Texas.

FBI Special Agent in Charge Perrye K. Turner; United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson; Houston Police Department Executive Assistant Chief Tim Oettmeier; Harris County District Attorney Devon Anderson; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Special Agent in Charge Robert Elder; Harris County Sheriff’s Office Chief Marlin Suell; Texas Department of Public Safety Commander Duane Steen; Texas Department of Public Safety Major Adam Brown; Clear Channel Outdoor Vice President Lee Vela; and Crime Stoppers of Houston Director Rania Mankarious released a video (below) with pictures of the suspects and stolen vehicle used in the crime, as well as announced the significant reward and digital billboard campaign at a press event held at the Houston office of the FBI. The armed assailants face state or federal charges from aggravated robbery to capital murder.

 

Anyone with information is asked to call 1-800-CALL-FBI or call Crime Stoppers of Houston at 713-222-TIPS (8477). Text TIP610 plus your tip to CRIMES (274637), or visit www.crime-stoppers.org. Tips may also be submitted to Crime Stoppers through the Crime Stoppers of Houston app, which can be downloaded at the app store for both iPhone and Android devices. Tips may be reported in Spanish or English. All tipsters remain anonymous.

As a public service to the community, Clear Channel Outdoor is donating space and time on its digital billboards throughout the area to publicize the reward and feature a photo of the gunmen and the stolen vehicle used in the crime.

Brinks, who is offering $50,000 of the $100,000 reward, thanks the community and law enforcement for its support and assistance in this investigation.