Police recently arrested a man they say is responsible for a string of bank robberies in Peoria.

66-year-old George Mitchell was taken into custody after leading police officers on a pursuit and crashing into their squad vehicles. This happened around 6:05 p.m. last Thursday, when officers moved to arrest Mitchell in the area of 115th Avenue and Happy Valley Road after he walked into the Wells Fargo on Lake Pleasant Parkway and Happy Valley Road and demanded money. He had handed a teller a note, but another employee stepped in and Mitchell left the scene without any money.

An officer nearby noticed Mitchell’s vehicle exiting the parking lot, and he attempted to pull him over although Mitchell sped away in a westerly direction on Happy Valley. Police tried to block him in at 115th Avenue, when Mitchell hit one police vehicle before backing up and hitting another as two officers were stepping out of the car. The three officers were successful in apprehending Mitchell, and they then went to the hospital for treatment of their injuries. All have been released since.

In two previous robberies, Mitchell was able to get away with money at Chase Bank (99th Avenue and Happy Valley Road) on January 24th and Chase Bank (El Mirage and Vistancia) on January 28th.

Photo: Peoria Police – Facebook