Police
arrested a man suspected of stealing a car at knifepoint from an employee of
IHOP early Thursday morning.
Tomas
A. Brown, 25 of Vado, N.M., is charged with one count of armed robbery. The
charge is a second-degree felony.
The
incident occurred about 6:20 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 3, near the IHOP restaurant at
351 E. University Ave. Las Cruces police investigators learned that an employee
of the IHOP went outside and started his vehicle. A knife-wielding man
approached the employee, grabbed the employee’s arm and held a knife to the
victim’s chest. The suspect then entered the employee’s silver Volvo and drove
out of the parking lot.
The
victim called 911 and watched as the suspect exited the vehicle. The Volvo kept
rolling and crossed University Avenue before crashing into a ditch near College
Drive. The suspect, later identified as Brown, ran east on University Avenue
before he was apprehended by officers from the New Mexico State University Police
Department.
Las
Cruces police investigators later learned that Brown was seen looking into
other vehicles earlier in the morning. Investigators also learned that Brown
had entered the IHOP, just prior to the armed robbery, and asked to speak with
a friend who works there. The friend was not there at the time.
Brown
was booked into the Dona Ana County Detention Center where he’s initially being
held without bond.