Members of the Las Cruces Police Department’s SWAT team located and arrested the man suspected of committing Friday morning’s armed robbery of a convenience store on east Lohman Avenue.
Eric L. Harris, 41, has been charged with one count each of armed robbery, tampering with evidence, resisting or eluding arrest, and possession of paraphernalia.
At around 10:30 a.m. Friday, July 6, Las Cruces Police were called to the Lohman Food Store at 926 E. Lohman Ave. after a man entered the business, threatened an employee with a handgun and took an undisclosed amount of cash.
The suspect left the area in a vehicle which was quickly located by police, unoccupied, a short distance away. Officers established a perimeter surrounding an apartment complex on Boutz Road where the suspect was believed to be hiding, but officers from LCPD’s SWAT and Hostage Negotiation teams learned that he was at one of two other locations in Las Cruces.
LCPD’s SWAT team located Harris attempting to hide in the backyard of a home on the 1900 block of Gladys Drive. He was taken into custody without further incident shortly before 2 p.m.
The handgun Harris is believed to have used to commit the armed robbery was located by police in the home where he was found.
Harris will be booked into the Dona Ana County Detention Center with bond set at $25,000.