Houston- A pair of reputed stick-up artists hit as many as 23 Houston businesses, mostly adult book stores, as they made off with customers’ wallets and cell phones, and, police say, didn’t hesitate to grab items off the rack while making their getaways.

Investigators are still searching for victims who may be sheepish about coming forward after being robbed in places that specialize in adult entertainment, including racy movies and lingerie.

“We want to know if there are any citizens out there who have not reported being a victim of a robbery,” Houston police Sgt. Ron Pinkerton, said Friday.

That same veil of awkwardness may have made the businesses appealing targets as industry officials said many customers prefer to spend cash rather than use credit cards.

Officers are expected to spend the next few days sorting through dozens of phones, as well as wallets, keys and other items they found, after the two accused robbers were quietly arrested Wednesday.

Jeffery Dawayne Busby, 25, and Andrew Lee Bruner, 40, were caught about 24 hours after their last alleged hold up, when officers swarmed a house in the 2200 block of Russell.

Busby has a lengthy, but petty criminal record. Bruner was sentenced to 13 years for aggravated robbery in 1989.

Strewn about the house, were cash as well as the victims’ personal items, including loose credit cards and driver’s licenses, police said.

“We didn’t have to look hard for anything, it was lying all over the place,” Pinkerton said.

Officers also found two handguns — believed to be used during the crimes — lying on a home entertainment center, he said.

So far, officers have been able to return several items to their owners, but there is still much work to be done.

It is also possible the men gathered some of the booty from robberies that have yet to be reported, police said.

While most of the businesses hit during the three-month crime spree were adult stores, others included smoke shops, convenience stores and at least one game room.

The businesses were literally spread out all over the city and were robbed in the evening. Tuesday was the hottest night.

The robbers appear calm during the crimes, and unafraid to be captured on surveillance cameras.

In at least two of the holdups they posed as shoppers, and took their time, even asking a clerk for help at one point, according to footage reviewed by the Houston Chronicle.

“They were very methodical, slow, methodical, looked around for safes to hide money,” said Lt. Spencer Coker. “They weren’t typical hijackers hitting stores.”

No one was shot or hurt enough to require medical attention during the crimes, according to police. In a few instances, people who resisted were taken down on the floor.

Pinkerton said the men appeared to be growing more bold at the time of their arrest.

They had progressed from robbing about one place a week to as many as two in one night, as was the case during a 40-minute period Tuesday, he said.

After being arrested, they stood in a lineup viewed by about 40 people, mostly store employees, and were positively identified by 80 percent of them, Pinkerton said.

Gino Barone, who owns Carmen’s Boutique and Videos, which was robbed twice during he spree, said he is thankful nothing worse happened.

“That has always been one of my worst nightmares, that one of my people get killed,” he said.

A high-tech store security system, which includes more than a dozen cameras linked to remote computers, caught numerous high-resolution images of the men.

Videos showed customers being herded at gunpoint and cashiers ordered to empty registers.

As the men made their way out the door, they appeared to snatch lingerie and movies off the shelves.

Ray Hill, who has been a consultant and lobbyist for adult businesses, said police should have captured the men sooner.

“It is about freaking time, that is my position,” Hill said.

Although Hill questioned whether investigators dragged their heels because of the type of businesses involved, police strongly denied that was the case.