Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

Police: Robbery suspect says he needed money to buy girlfriend Christmas present

Robbery Standoff

Steve Marcus

Metro Police officers are shown by the intersection of Fort Apache and Desert Inn roads after a standoff with a robbery suspect Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2014.

A man accused in a crime spree Tuesday before barricading himself inside a car during a police standoff said he was trying to pay his girlfriend back on a loan and buy her a Christmas present, Metro Police said.

Eddie Rodriguez, 44, was arrested on four felony counts of robbery with a deadly weapon and four felony counts of burglary with a deadly weapon after an hours-long standoff near Fort Apache and Desert Inn roads, police said.

According to an arrest report, police received reports of three robberies and one attempted robbery of Las Vegas convenience stores early Tuesday morning.

Witnesses described a man wearing dark clothes and a dark bandana entering the stores and demanding cash, police said.

Rodriguez was armed with a 12-inch knife and brandished it at employees of some of the stores before leaving in a sedan, witnesses told police.

Police say he began by attempting to rob a Terrible Herbst, located at 6650 W. Cheyenne Ave., near Rainbow Boulevard about 3:10 a.m.

He walked behind the counter and tried to open the register as an employee jumped the counter to escape, police said.

Rodriguez couldn't open the register and subsequently proceeded to two Speedee Marts, one at 9301 W. Sahara Ave., near Fort Apache Road, and another about a mile away at 8570 W. Sahara Ave, police said.

During the first robbery, he demanded cash and cigarettes, telling an employee, "I don't want to do this, but I'm sick," the employee told police.

After the last reported robbery of a Snackers at 9430 Peace Way, near Fort Apache Road, Rodriguez drove to Desert Inn, where he noticed a patrol car following him, police said.

He sped up when the police attempted to stop him and crashed into a light pole, causing the car to roll over, Metro said.

Police said he held a knife to his own chest while refusing to surrender.

He was medically cleared before being booked into the Clark County Detention Center, police said.

Rodriguez allegedly told police he was working at a convenience store the week before and committed the robberies after having been fired for having a "short drawer."

He said he was apologetic and denied waiving the knife around in front of employees, police said.

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