Cop Smash & Grab: Houston Police Caught on Video Kicking in Door to Business, Stealing Cash

Two Houston Police officers were caught on camera kicking down the door of local business owner Marcquette Jones last Wednesday.

Jones, the 36-year-old owner of The South Side Game Room, says this isn’t the first time the officers unlawfully entered his business. According to the business owner, the two cops paid him the first visit on January 20, claiming they were there to “check building code compliance.”

Jones refused to let them in when they wouldn’t show identification, but the officers forcefully entered anyway. They cuffed the business owner and slammed him down onto one of the pool tables to illegally search him. “I don’t need no search warrant,” one of the cops reportedly said.

Jones was counting the business’s money at the time, which he asked the officers to let him gather it and put it away. The officers not only not only declined, but stole the $34,000 in cash and arrested Jones for marijuana possession.

After serving a 10-day sentence for possession of a plant, Jones requested his $34,000 back. The Houston Police Department returned only $10,800, a third of what he is owed, with no explanation.

“No warrant, no sergeant, no captain, no lieutenant counted my money. At least $34,000 and they only reported $10,800,” Jones said.

The second time the cops came knocking, they brought a third officer with them and were caught on camera. Since no one was there to open the door, the men can be seen kicking it down and unlawfully entering the business.

“They kicked in my door illegally with no search warrant and no probable cause,” Jones said. He reports they took more money with them this time but doesn’t know exactly how much, as they got away with a bag of cash that Jones had not yet counted.

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Jones has filed a complaint with the police internal affairs division, and HPD has opened an investigation into the case. A written statement released Tuesday by Chief Charles McClellan states:

“The Houston Police Department takes allegations of officer misconduct seriously. We are in receipt of a complaint filed by Marcquette Jones and the case will be thoroughly investigated. Due to the on-going nature of this investigation, HPD will withhold further comment on the matter until the conclusion of the investigation.”

Community activist Quanell X is speaking out in regards to the allegations, stating: “They were searching for some more money. That’s exactly what this has to be. This is nothing else but two rogue cops searching for more money because the man had 34K first time they came.”

The Police Department has declined to release the names of the officers accused.