PHOENIX — A 16-year-old boy was arrested in connection to an attempted armed robbery that took place in Goodyear earlier this week, officials announced Thursday.
The boy, who was not identified because he is a minor, allegedly demanded money from a bank teller at the First Convenient Bank near Van Buren Street and Estrella Parkway around 11:30 a.m. Monday.
The 911 caller told police that the boy demanded money from a teller, threatened that he had a gun and stated no one would get hurt if they listened to what he said.
Once officers arrived, the boy had already left the area on foot and was seen getting into a yellow taxi cab.
The boy was described as wearing a white hoodie pulled over the head to the just above his eyes, sunglasses, a face mask, blue gloves on each hand, dark pants and blue shoes.
About 20 minutes after that first incident, Goodyear police responded to the Desert Financial Credit Union about four miles away, near Dysart and McDowell roads.
The 911 caller reported a suspicious subject who they thought were going to rob them. The suspect matched the description from the prior incident mentioned above.
While inside the bank, the boy was asked to remove his mask, but instead walked out of the bank and left the area in a yellow taxi cab.
Investigators began working with Yellow Cab to get additional information.
Around 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, Goodyear police responded to the Wells Fargo Bank, located about five miles from the first bank near Indian School and Litchfield roads.
The 911 caller told police that a suspicious person wearing the same clothing described above was looking through the front window of the bank.
The suspect was again observed leaving the area in a yellow cab.
Detectives contacted Yellow Cab and were able to track the cab to the area of 6227 N. Litchfield Road in Litchfield Park.
As officers arrived, they allegedly saw the boy wearing the same clothing, fleeing the area and were able to detain him without incident.
The suspect was identified as a 16-year-old Litchfield Park resident with two prior armed robbery convictions.
Detectives learned the boy had allegedly attempted numerous additional bank robberies on both Tuesday and Wednesday in other cities.
The boy was booked into Maricopa County Juvenile Detention and faces charges including armed robbery, robbery and attempted robbery in connection to the three incidents.
