Mexico police help arrest Arizona bank robbery suspect

One of three suspects wanted for robbing a bank in Nogales, Arizona, is under arrest thanks to the assistance of Mexican authorities, according to reports.

The robbery took place shortly after 3 p.m. Sept. 13 at a First Convenience Bank inside a Walmart, the Nogales Police Department said.

Francisco Javier Romo-Angulo was quickly identified as the suspect who took an undisclosed amount of money and left in a vehicle.

That vehicle was located by the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office and Arizona Department of Public Safety on Interstate 19.

“A traffic stop was attempted on the vehicle and subsequently placed a male driver into custody,” NPD said in a press release. It was later discovered that Romo-Angulo was not in the vehicle.

The driver arrested was identified as Stephen Patrick Bacon, 64, of Sonoita, according to Nogales International newspaper. He was booked into jail on charges of conspiracy to commit armed robbery, failure to yield or stop to law enforcement, and facilitation to commit armed robbery.

Romo-Angulo, 31, of Nogales, was not in custody until Sept. 16, police announced on Facebook. He allegedly placed an empty suitcase on the counter while demanding $45,000 from the teller and threatening to shoot if she did not comply, according to federal court records obtained by news website Border Report. 

The court records say security cameras at the Grand Avenue International Port of Entry captured video of the alleged robber walking into Mexico 10 minutes later. 

U.S. authorities apparently asked Mexico for help locating Romo-Angulo, who was detained in Nogales, Mexico. The American citizen was handed over to U.S. authorities at the Mariposa Port of Entry in Nogales, Arizona. 

Additional video showed the suspect, Bacon, and another man identified as Mark Smith coming from Mexico into Nogales about 20 minutes prior to the robbery, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Arizona told the Border Report.  

Smith was reportedly located and taken into custody at the same time Bacon was. All three men are now facing bank robbery charges.