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Police arrest robbery suspect who tried to use UTA bus as getaway vehicle

Posted at 7:47 PM, Apr 21, 2016
and last updated 2016-04-21 21:47:53-04

WEST VALLEY CITY — A robbery suspect attempted to escape the area by boarding a Utah Transit Authority bus Thursday, but officers spotted the man and took him into custody.

According to the West Valley City Police Department, the suspect tried to rob a store at Valley Fair Mall, but when that “didn’t go well” he went on to successfully rob a second store at the mall.

The crime occurred in the area of 3600 South Constitution Boulevard.

Responding officers spotted a man matching the suspect’s description boarding a UTA bus, and they stopped the man and located evidence linking him to the robbery. After retracing the man’s steps, police located clothing used in the robbery as well as a toy gun that had been modified to look real.

Police believe the suspect is the same man who is responsible for several other recent robberies in West Valley City, and they are checking with neighboring agencies to see if the man is connected to crimes in other areas as well.