AF crime wave continues

Police and criminals are still locked in a tug of war, with another bank robbery last week, along with the second robbery of the AMC Ahwatukee 24 Theatres in three weeks.

On the plus side for the good guys, an observant neighbor in the Lakewood area prevented what could have been a vicious home invasion when she called police about a suspicious vehicle early Monday morning.

Police responded and when they approached the vehicle three men took off running, leaving behind duct tape, guns, handcuffs and zip ties, plus lock picks and drugs.

Officer Kevin Ham quickly arrested Jason Nix, 37, of Glendale, who was released from prison in December.

Police set up a perimeter and found Gary Oliver, 27, of Goodyear, attempting to break into a home to hide. A few hours later 33-year-old Nicholas White was also found and taken into custody.

All three were booked on a variety of charges including weapons, carrying a concealed weapon without a permit, drug possession, theft, burglary and possession of burglary tools.

Police were quick to give the credit for the arrests to the resident who tipped police off to the vehicle.

"An astute citizen, doing a good job," was how Sgt. Bryant Rockwood described the call that alerted officers.

But police didn't get any help when the AmTrust Bank, in the 4900 block of East Warner Road, was robbed June 19 by a man who walked in, presented a note and then escaped in a red pickup truck.

It was the 10th bank heist since September.

The man was described as a white male, around 55 to 60 years old, 140 pounds wearing jeans and a button-down collar shirt.

That is very similar to the description of the man who robbed the AMC theater June 18 by shoving plastic bags through the small ticket window and demanding that the clerk fill the bags with cash.

In that instance he reached under his shirt, which caused the clerk to assume he was armed.

Meanwhile, police are still searching for the two men armed with rifles who robbed a bank courier in front of the Desert School Federal Credit Union at Ray Road near 51st Street on June 12.

Silent Witness is offering a $20,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest of the two men.

Anyone with information is asked to call Silent Witness at (480) WITNESS.