3 suspects known as Jeepers Bandits arrested for Valley robbery spree
Feb 19, 2021, 11:00 AM | Updated: 11:54 am
From left, Noel Aragon, Dakota (or Dakotah) Jones, Justin Krause (Maricopa County Sheriff's Office Photos)
(Maricopa County Sheriff's Office Photos)
PHOENIX – Three suspects known as the Jeepers Bandits have been arrested in connection with a string of 2020 Phoenix-area armed robberies, the FBI said Thursday.
The suspects were identified as 22-year-old Noel Aragon, 20-year-old Dakota Jones and 20-year-old Justin Krause, according to an FBI press release. The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office spells Jones’ first name as Dakotah in its online mugshot database.
Last week, the FBI released surveillance camera images of four men accused of six armed robberies at smoke shops and a Cold Stone Creamery in Phoenix and Glendale between Nov. 27 and Dec. 4.
No mention of a fourth suspect was made in Thursday’s arrest announcement.
Investigators referred to the suspects as the Jeepers Bandits because of physical similarities to Shaggy Rogers from Scooby-Doo, who frequently said “jeepers.”
The suspects entered the businesses posing as customers, waited for other customers to leave, pulled out guns and demanded employees place money in their bags, according to the FBI.
Nobody was injured during the crimes.
The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office will prosecute the case.
