HOUSTON – A surveillance video of a serial burglar targeting homes in the Montrose area has been released to the public in hopes that someone will recognize him, according to the Harris County Precinct 1 Constable’s Office.
The burglar usually climbs through windows of homes during the daytime or forces windows open and smashes the glass. Once inside, he searches for jewelry in hopes of selling it at pawn shops.
In one burglary case, officials said a gold high school ring from 1941 was stolen.
During Friday’s news conference, investigators identified the burglar as 56-year-old Bobby John Henry, who is currently still on the run.
The break-ins often happened while residents were at work. In one case, detectives say Henry entered a home through a doggy door.
“I just want this guy off the streets,” one neighbor who asked to remain anonymous said.
The neighbor described finding the burglar inside her home and returning to discover jewelry, a laptop, a gaming system and cash missing.
“He busted through my bedroom door. He got all my jewelry, laptop, PlayStation and cash. And then he left,” she said.
She said surveillance showed a man carrying a possible handsaw. The neighbor later found that same tool in her shed.
Some of the items taken, she said, carried deep family meaning — pieces passed down through generations and said to have survived the Great Depression.
“It was the things like my great grandma’s engagement locket, grandmother’s wedding sets, the other grandmother’s high school class ring, just jewelry and things that were made for me from people who have now passed away,” she said.
“It’s something you can’t replace,” she added.
After posting surveillance clips in a Montrose neighborhood moms’ group, the neighbor said others reported similar burglaries. Officials say a tip helped identify Henry as the suspect.
“As we work through these cases, there may be more burglaries that we are able to tie him to. So it’s pretty clear this is the way he earns a living. And we want to get him off the street,” Harris County Precinct 1 Constable Alan Rosen said.
Authorities say Henry faces four burglary charges so far, and investigators are reviewing additional cases tied to Houston Police Department reports. Constables say he has an extensive criminal history and outstanding warrants for parole violations out of Travis and Milam counties.
“This guy is not going to stop,” the anonymous neighbor said.
Investigators are warning homeowners to keep their doors and windows locked. They also recommend trimming bushes near windows and doors so burglars cannot conceal themselves.
If you have security cameras, investigators say to make sure they are working and aimed in the right direction.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Bowden at joseph.bowden@cn1.hctx.net
Copyright 2026 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.