Two North Austin teenagers have been charged in connection with a series of recent armed robberies of businesses in the 5500 block of North Ave.

Quentin Bobo, 19, is being held without bond in Cook County Jail after being charged with three counts of armed robbery on May 21. Bobo’s alleged accomplice in two of those robberies, Tommie Walker, 17, is charged with two counts of armed robbery, and is being held in lieu of $225,000 bail.

Officers from the 25th District’s Robbery/Public Violence Mission Team began investigating the May 1 robbery of the Central Beauty Supply store at 5545 W. North Ave. On May 16 a restaurant across the street at 5542 W. North Ave. was robbed at gunpoint, and the following day Central Beauty Supply was robbed at gunpoint a second time. Between $80 and several hundred dollars was taken in each robbery, according to police.

The next day, acting on information developed in the investigation, the Robbery/Public Violence Mission Team arrested Walker. He reportedly admitted his role in the crimes, implicated Bobo, and told officers where they could locate the gun used in the robberies.

While Area 5 detectives held a series of lineups with numerous victims the evening of May 19, tactical officers continued searching for the second suspect.

“We looked all through the night for him,” said the 25th District’s Sgt. Richard Sliva.

Police found Bobo the morning of May 20 and arrested him on the same block where the two businesses were robbed, and not far from where both suspects live. Sliva said Wednesday that both young men are from the immediate neighborhood where the crimes occurred; Walker from 1600 block of North Central, and Bobo from the 5600 block of West Wabansia.

“These guys lived in the area,” Sliva said. “We determined they were still hanging out in the area.”

The Robbery/Public Violence Mission Team was created last fall by Area 5 Deputy Chief Maria Maher and 25th District Commander Daniel Alvarado. Designed to respond to robberies and such public violence as shootings and aggravated batteries, the team works with the Area 5 detective division.

Officers from that team continue to investigate the three North Avenue armed robberies, and any possible connections to other robberies in the North Austin area.