Man arrested in connection with robberies

A man police believe is responsible for a string of armed robberies throughout Salt Lake County was taken into custody Monday after officers found him lying on the ground with a broken ankle.

Police in the area of the Hampton Inn, 244 W. 400 South, heard someone moaning in pain just before 2 a.m. They went behind the hotel to a fenced parking area where they found Ryan Timmons, 32, who had broken his ankle after attempting to jump the fence, said Salt Lake police detective Patrick Wilkinson. After Timmons was taken into custody and questioned, investigators linked him to a number of robberies in the county.

On Tuesday, a Sinclair station, 4430 S. 2905 East, was robbed at gunpoint by a man wearing a heavy, black, hooded jacket and sunglasses, said Salt Lake County Sheriff's Lt. Don Hutson. Then on Saturday, the same gas station was robbed again about 7:30 a.m. by a man matching the same description.

About 2:45 p.m. Saturday, investigators said the same man went into Mr. Robert's the Cleaner, 877 E. 4500 South, and robbed that store at gunpoint. He left in a car and likely drove straight to Holladay Pharmacy, 4692 S. Holladay Blvd., where he stood in line with others. Once it was his turn, the man placed a gun on the counter and demanded drugs, Hutson said.

Just before 11:30 p.m. Sunday, Salt Lake police were called to the Hampton Inn where a man was "chasing" after patrons, asking them if they wanted to buy pills, said Wilkinson. It was unknown Monday if the same pills taken in Holladay were being sold outside the hotel.

When officers found Timmons in the parking lot about two hours later, it was unclear Monday if he had been lying there since the first time police were called or if he had possibly returned and then broke his ankle, Wilkinson said.

"Evidence from the robberies" was seized during Timmons' arrest, Wilkinson said.

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