Man Accused Of At Least 9 Armed Gas Station Robberies
STANTON (CBSLA.com/AP) — Authorities say a man arrested during an alleged armed robbery at an Orange County gas station is in federal custody on suspicion of robbing gas stations across the region.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives says the suspect, a man in his 40s, was arrested late Wednesday during a holdup at a Chevron station in Stanton. His name has not been released.
The man was wanted for at least eight other armed gas station robberies in Orange County. He was identified as a person of interest by federal agents in those robberies, which spanned the last two months, ATF spokeswoman Meredith Davis said.
The amount of money taken in those robberies was not disclosed.
Under ATF surveillance, the suspect began "driving around as though he was casing different stores in the area," Davis said. "When he did stop at that particular store (in Stanton), agents did attempt to speak to him and he tried to flee from officers but he was taken into custody."
No one was hurt in Wednesday's incident, Davis said.
The suspect will appear before a United States Magistrate judge at 2 p.m. today in Santa Ana, Davis said, adding that he "does have a lengthy criminal history for similar offenses."
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