Citizen Staff

Two men, working separately, robbed four branches, Tucson police say.

By IRENE HSIAO

ihsiao@tucsoncitizen.com

Tucson police are asking for the public’s help to find two bank robbery suspects.

A man robbed the Wells Fargo branch at 555 N. Wilmot Road at 9:34 a.m. Wednesday by handing a teller a note demanding money, said Officer Kathy Wendling, a police spokeswoman.

The man fled with an undisclosed amount of money in a blue or gray 1982 to 1986 Chevrolet Celebrity or similar car with a bad paint job and low-profile tires, she said.

Witnesses described him as in his 20s, 6 feet 2 inches tall and 180 pounds, Wendling said. He was wearing a long-sleeve, striped blue shirt, blue pants and a black baseball cap with a sports team logo on it, she said.

No weapon was seen or implied, Wendling said.

Police believe another man is responsible for three bank robberies, the most recent at 12:48 p.m. Wednesday at Bank One, 728 W. Ajo Way, she said.

The other two robberies were at Bank of America on Friday at 9:49 a.m. at 4201 N. Oracle Road and July 22 at the Bank of America branch at 1601 W. Valencia Road, Wendling said.

In each robbery, the man handed a teller a note demanding money and implying he had a weapon, Wendling said. Witnesses described him as in his 20s, 5 feet 6 inches to 5 feet 8 inches tall, 130 to 160 pounds, with tattoos on both arms.

Weapons were not seen in any of the robberies, she said.

Anyone with information about the robberies is asked to call 911 or 88-CRIME.

PHOTO CAPTIONS: Provided photos

This man is being sought by police in up to three Tucson-area bank robberies in recent days, officers say. Nobody was injured in the heists.

This man is believed to have robbed the Wells Fargo branch at 555 N. Wilmot Road on Wednesday by handing a teller a note demanding money, police say.

Citizen Staff

Police search for two suspects in bank heists

By IRENE HSIAO

ihsiao@tucsoncitizen.com

Tucson police are asking for help to find two bank robbers.

Yesterday at about 11:20 a.m., a man handed a note demanding money to a teller at Wells Fargo, 1370 N. Silverbell Road, said Officer Kathy Wendling, a Tucson police spokeswoman.

Police believe the man is 23 years old, 5 feet 3 inches tall and 150 pounds. He has dark hair, a dark complexion, a goatee and a tattoo on his right arm, Wendling said.

He was last seen wearing a light blue sleeveless shirt over a white shirt and matching light blue shorts.

The man fled in a small, dark-colored passenger car, and no weapon was seen or implied, she said.

On Wednesday at about 1:50 p.m., a different man handed a teller a note at Wells Fargo, 145 E. 22nd St., implying he had a weapon and demanding money, she said.

That suspect is 5 feet 3 inches to 5 feet 5 inches tall, has a thin or medium build and a mustache and is possibly in his early 20s. He was wearing a black shirt and a green-and-yellow Sidewinders baseball cap, Wendling said.

Anyone with information is asked to call 911 or 88-CRIME.

Radio show, TMC raise $220K

By ANNE T. DENOGEAN

adenogea@tucsoncitizen.com

A recent four-day radiothon raised nearly $220,000 to benefit Tucson Medical Center.

Broadcast from outside TMC’s Children’s Emergency Center, the KRQ 93.7 FM Johnjay and Rich program benefited TMC children’s services.

Donations and pledges during the June 24-27 radiothon totaled $219,673.

“We can’t thank Johnjay (Van Es) and Rich (Berra) enough for their incredible generosity,” Michael Duran, chief development officer of the TMC Foundation, said in a written statement.

“With the support of these big-hearted guys – plus, of course, their loyal listeners – we will be able to enhance our top-quality services and programs for the children of southern Arizona.”

PHOTO MUG CAPTIONS: Provided photos

Surveillance photos of two suspects

Citizen Staff

Police search for two suspects in bank heists

By IRENE HSIAO

ihsiao@tucsoncitizen.com

Tucson police are asking for help to find two bank robbers.

Yesterday at about 11:20 a.m., a man handed a note demanding money to a teller at Wells Fargo, 1370 N. Silverbell Road, said Officer Kathy Wendling, a Tucson police spokeswoman.

Police believe the man is 23 years old, 5 feet 3 inches tall and 150 pounds. He has dark hair, a dark complexion, a goatee and a tattoo on his right arm, Wendling said.

He was last seen wearing a light blue sleeveless shirt over a white shirt and matching light blue shorts.

The man fled in a small, dark-colored passenger car, and no weapon was seen or implied, she said.

On Wednesday at about 1:50 p.m., a different man handed a teller a note at Wells Fargo, 145 E. 22nd St., implying he had a weapon and demanding money, she said.

That suspect is 5 feet 3 inches to 5 feet 5 inches tall, has a thin or medium build and a mustache and is possibly in his early 20s. He was wearing a black shirt and a green-and-yellow Sidewinders baseball cap, Wendling said.

Anyone with information is asked to call 911 or 88-CRIME.

Radio show, TMC raise $220K

By ANNE T. DENOGEAN

adenogea@tucsoncitizen.com

A recent four-day radiothon raised nearly $220,000 to benefit Tucson Medical Center.

Broadcast from outside TMC’s Children’s Emergency Center, the KRQ 93.7 FM Johnjay and Rich program benefited TMC children’s services.

Donations and pledges during the June 24-27 radiothon totaled $219,673.

“We can’t thank Johnjay (Van Es) and Rich (Berra) enough for their incredible generosity,” Michael Duran, chief development officer of the TMC Foundation, said in a written statement.

“With the support of these big-hearted guys – plus, of course, their loyal listeners – we will be able to enhance our top-quality services and programs for the children of southern Arizona.”

PHOTO MUG CAPTIONS: Provided photos

Surveillance photos of two suspects

Citizen Staff

By ROMANO CEDILLOS

cedillos@tucsoncitizen.com

A partnership announced this month between a U.S. bank and one of Mexico’s largest financial institutions will expand a distribution network used by many Mexicans in the United States to send money home.

The Wells Fargo & Co.-HSBC Mexico partnership will more than double the bank’s remittance-distribution network for customers using Wells Fargo’s InterCuenta Express product. It will give Mexicans in the United States access to 3,000 banks and 8,200 ATMs across Mexico, according to Wells Fargo.

“This new partnership is an excellent opportunity to provide greater distribution choice, value, security and service to our customers,” said Daniel Ayala, head of Wells Fargo Cross Border Payments. “HSBC’s experience in the global market provides a strong complement to our existing distribution network.”

“Arizona is one of our top-performing markets,” Ayala said. “About 80 percent of the Mexican immigrants living in Arizona will find this increase in our network significant.”

In Arizona, 535,119 Mexicans are expected to send $606 million to Latin America this year, according to a recent report by the Inter-American Development Bank.

Citizen Staff

After his first heist this week, a man dons a bushy, blond wig and colorful attire to hold up 2 more bank branches.

By IRENE HSIAO

ihsiao@tucsoncitizen.com

Tucson police are asking for the public’s help in finding a man suspected of robbing three banks this week. Surveillance footage shows he wore clown accessories in two of the robberies.

The man is described as 5 feet 10 inches to 6 feet tall, with brown hair, blue eyes (possibly contact lenses) and wearing a long, bushy, blond wig. He wore a green coat, a multicolored tie and dark pants in two bank heists yesterday, said Sgt. Marco Borboa, a Tucson police spokesman.

In yesterday’s first robbery, at 3:06 p.m., the man went into DM Federal Credit Union, 8465 E. Broadway, threatened the manager and demanded money, Borboa said.

Less than an hour later, the same man robbed the Wells Fargo branch at 5535 E. 22nd St., Borboa said.

The first robbery was Wednesday morning at 9:15 at Wells Fargo, 555 N. Wilmot Road. In that case, Borboa said, a red dye pack that is part of the bank’s security system exploded and marked the stolen money.

Anyone with information about the robberies is asked to call 911 or 88-CRIME.

Citizen Staff Report

Hand-grenade bank robbery nets 33-plus years in prison

A Tucson man was sentenced to 33 1/2 years in prison for robbing a bank with a hand grenade.

Jeffrey Charles Hoagland, 40, was sentenced yesterday in Tucson by U.S. District Judge David C. Bury.

Hoagland was convicted of the April 2001 robbery of the Wells Fargo Bank branch at 5535 E. 22nd St.

He tried to disguise himself with a shoulder-length, curly black wig, authorities said.

Hoagland threatened a teller with a metallic green hand grenade, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Phoenix.

After getting an undisclosed amount of cash, Hoagland fled and was arrested a week later while driving a stolen car in Texas. The car’s owner notified Tucson police after finding a curly black wig in the car. Hoagland was identified as the robber by the teller.

He was convicted of bank robbery and carrying a destructive device in November.

Tucson police suspect Hoagland of several other robberies committed shortly before the April 2001 crime. Those incidents were at the Wells Fargo bank at 5310 E. Grant Road, the Bank of America at 5502 E. Grant Road and Compass Bank at 6393 E. Speedway Blvd.

Agents snare 60-plus migrants at motel

U.S. Border Patrol agents found more than 60 illegal immigrants in five motel rooms in Sierra Vista on Friday.

One immigrant was determined to be from Central America.

Agents followed a Chevrolet Beretta they suspected was involved in smuggling to Budget Inn, 201 W. Fry Blvd., in Sierra Vista, a Border Patrol news release stated.

Three people came out of a room and approached the car in the parking lot, where agents determined they were illegal immigrants from Mexico, officials said.

Questioning led agents to believe more illegal immigrants were hiding in the motel. A room search led to the others.

Three vehicles including the Beretta were seized.

- Citizen Staff Reports

Citizen Staff

By DAVID PITTMAN

dpittman@tucsoncitizen.com

Happy days are here again for the U.S. economy and the business outlook for Tucson is even rosier.

So says Sung Won Sohn, executive vice president and chief economic officer of Wells Fargo, who spoke yesterday at the annual Wells Fargo Economic Update at The Westin La Paloma Resort & Spa, 3800 E. Sunrise Drive.

“Frank Sinatra would have said 2003 was a very good year,” he said. “I’m here to tell you 2004 will be even better.”

Sohn said Tucson escaped the worst of the economic downturn that hit the rest of the nation in 2001 and 2002. He noted that unemployment is lower here than for the rest of the country and predicted that trend will continue.

“You really haven’t had a recession in Tucson,” he said.

Sohn said Tucson could become a future “hotbed for high technology” because it is an attractive place for businesses, particularly those from southern California, to relocate.

Tucson is attractive to high-tech firms because of the presence of the University of Arizona and leading aerospace and optics manufacturers, he said. In addition, Tucson boasts available land, affordable housing and a good quality of life, he said.

But Sohn said new jobs are not being produced at the same rate as in past economic recoveries because business is relying on productivity gains, temporary workers and staff overtime, rather than hiring new employees. In that way, he said, companies avoid taking on new health care and other benefit obligations.

“The relationship between economic growth and new jobs has broken down,” he said.

Sohn said that of every vehicle sold by General Motors, $1,300 goes toward employee benefits. In contrast, employee benefits cost Honda $300 per car.

“That’s a huge competitive disadvantage (for GM),” he said.

Sohn said about 120,000 new jobs are being produced in the United States every month. He said he expects that number to grow to 200,000 to 400,000 during the second half of this year.

Asked if that job growth will come in time to benefit President George W. Bush in the November election, Sohn said: “That’s a toss up.”

Citizen Staff

By IRENE HSIAO

ihsiao@tucsoncitizen.com

A suspect has been booked into the Pima County Jail on suspicion of nine counts of robbery.

Kenneth Peter Polley, 35, of the 23000 block of East Mohican Place is being held on $500,745 bail on suspicion of nine bank robberies and one attempted robbery and on a warrant for issuing a bad check, according to the jail. He is listed as unemployed.

Tucson police arrested him Saturday as he walked back to his vehicle after allegedly trying to rob the Wells Fargo branch at 5535 E. 22nd St., said Officer Michelle Pickrom, a Tucson police spokeswoman.

A note similar to those used in previous robberies was found on him, she said. Detectives obtained a search warrant for his house, which led to more robbery charges, Pickrom said.

He may face additional charges, said Sgt. Marco Borboa, a police spokesman.

Citizen Staff

By DAVID L. TEIBEL

dteibel@tucsoncitizen.com

Tucson police are asking for the public’s help to find a man they suspect has held up four financial institutions between Nov. 14 and Saturday.

No injuries were reported in any of the holdups.

The man has been described by witnesses, and police released photographs of him and asked that anyone knowing about him or his whereabouts call 911 or the county attorney’s anonymous tip program at 88-CRIME.

The 88-CRIME program offers rewards of up to $1,000 for information called in through 88-CRIME that leads to arrests and indictments in robberies.

The first robbery was at a Wells Fargo Bank branch at 3655 E. Grant Road at 4:32 p.m. Nov. 14.

A man implied he was armed and left with an undisclosed amount of cash, police said.

He was described as 5 feet 11, with dark eyes, brown hair, a mustache and a small patch of hair under his lower lip. He was wearing a green windbreaker, dark shirt with white writing on it, shorts and hiking boots.

The second robbery was at Pyramid Credit Union, 921 N. Swan Road, at 5:49 p.m. Nov. 21.

The robber did not imply he had a weapon but passed a note demanding cash to a teller and left with an undisclosed amount.

He was described as 35 to 50 years old, 5 feet 10, 160 pounds, with brown hair and a goatee, wearing a green shirt, green hat and blue pants.

The last two robberies were Saturday. In each, the man passed a note demanding cash, no weapon was seen, and he left with undisclosed amounts of cash, police said.

The first of those robberies was at the Meriwest Credit Union, 5801 E. Broadway, at 10:40 a.m.

The robber was described as 35 to 40 years old. As in the Pyramid holdup, he was described as 5 feet 10 and 160 pounds, with brown hair and a goatee. At the Meriwest Credit Union, witnesses said he wore a flannel jacket and a white cap.

The second Saturday robbery was at Bank One, 2465 N. Campbell Ave., at 12:33 p.m., and the robber was described as wearing a light Pepsi-Cola jacket, a black cap and blue pants.

In both Saturday robberies, witnesses said the robber wore a soft cast on his left arm.

PHOTO MUG CAPTION: Surveillance photo of bank robber

Citizen Staff

By IRENE HSIAO

ihsiao@tucsoncitizen.com

Tucson police yesterday arrested a man who they believe robbed five banks.

Anthony Rodriguez, 28, was taken into custody during a traffic stop near South Country Club Road and Aviation Parkway, said Sgt. Judy Altieri, a Tucson Police Department spokeswoman.

The Tucson man was booked into the Pima County Jail on three counts of robbery, she said.

He has been charged in robberies Aug. 26 at Wells Fargo, 5310 E. Grant Road; Sept. 19 at Bank One, 2645 N. Campbell Ave.; and Oct. 10 at Bank of America, 2885 N. Campbell Ave.

Rodriguez has also been charged in an Oct. 8 attempted robbery at Wells Fargo, 555 N. Wilmot Road, and two counts of armed robbery from bank robberies in 2000, Altieri said.

Citizen Staff

By IRENE HSIAO

ihsiao@tucsoncitizen.com

The Tucson Police Department is asking for the public’s help in identifying a suspect in an attempted bank robbery yesterday.

About 9:15 a.m., the man handed a note demanding money to a teller at the Wells Fargo Bank branch at 555 N. Wilmot Road, said Officer Kathy Wendling, a police spokeswoman.

He fled without getting the cash, she said.

The man was described as 6 feet tall, about 300 pounds, with a goatee. He was wearing a tan baseball hat, sunglasses, a tan shirt and blue jeans, Wendling said.

Police believe he is associated with a silver car, she said.

No weapon was used or implied during the incident, Wendling said.

The man may have committed robberies Aug. 26 at Wells Fargo, 5310 E. Grant Road, and Sept. 19 at Bank One, 2465 N. Campbell Ave., she said.

Anyone with information about the crimes is asked to dial 911 or 88-CRIME.

Citizen Staff

Police are looking for William Lee Smith, whose alleged robbery spree began Sept. 15.

By ERIC SAGARA

esagara@tucsoncitizen.com

Tucson police continue to look for William Lee Smith, who they say Friday afternoon robbed his fifth bank since Sept. 15.

Smith, 36, is believed to have robbed four other Tucson banks last month, said Officer Kathy Wendling, a police spokeswoman.

In the latest incident, investigators say a man matching Smith’s description walked into the Wells Fargo at 1755 W. Valencia Road on Friday about 4:10 p.m. and demanded money.

The man, who did not appear to be armed, left with the money in a plastic bag.

Smith is also believed to have robbed a Bank of America at 2885 N. Campbell Ave. on Sept. 30, the Wells Fargo at 4036 N. First Ave. on Sept. 15, the Bank One at 2001 E. Irvington Road on Sept. 17 and another Bank of America at 595 E. Wetmore Road on Sept. 19.

He is described as 6 feet 3 inches tall with brown hair and brown eyes.

He may be associated with a champagne or silver 1990s compact station wagon, police said.

PHOTO CAPTION: Photo courtesy of Tucson Police Department

This photo from a surveillance video taken Sept. 30 at Bank of America, 2885 N. Campbell Ave., shows a man police believe is Tucsonan William Lee Smith.

Citizen Staff

By ROMANO CEDILLOS

cedillos@tucsoncitizen.com

Police say they have identified a man suspected in three local bank robberies and are asking for help finding him.

A warrant for the arrest of William Lee Smith, 36, of Tucson was obtained by the Tucson Police Department after he was identified through bank surveillance photographs, said Sgt Marco Borboa, a TPD spokesman.

After the photos were released to the media, someone recognized Smith and called police, Borboa said.

Smith is wanted in connection with the robberies of Wells Fargo Bank, 4036 N. First Ave., on Sept. 15 and Bank One, 2001 E. Irvington Road, Sept. 17.

Police say Smith was not armed during the robberies. They have not disclosed the amount taken in any of the robberies.

Smith is believed to be associated with a champagne-colored 1990s import station wagon.

Anyone with information concerning Smith or the robberies are asked to call 911 or 88-CRIME.

Surveillance photos of Smith can be seen on the TPD Web site: www.ci.tucson.az.us/police

PHOTO CAPTION: Citizen file photo

Bank surveillance photograph of who police believe is William Lee Smith, 36, of Tucson during a robbery Sept. 17 at Bank One on Irvington Road.

Citizen Staff

By ROMANO CEDILLOS

cedillos@tucsoncitizen.com

Two stars shined support on each other last night at a ceremony to celebrate Tucson’s small-business community.

Lea Màrquez-Peterson, and friend and fellow businesswoman Elizabeth Gonzalez-Gann, were among four finalists nominated for the Tucson Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce’s Small Business Leader of the Year at the Sixth Annual Wells Fargo Copper Cactus Awards Banquet.

Màrquez-Peterson, owner of American Retail Corp., a local gas station and convenience store firm, was presented the award at a ceremony held at the Westin La Paloma Resort and Spa, 3800 E. Sunrise Drive.

Copper Cactus is southern Arizona’s oldest and largest awards program focused on small businesses, said Lori Banzhaf, spokeswoman for Monsoon Marketing, the company coordinating the event.

The awards set a record this year with 414 southern Arizona companies being nominated. In 2002, 125 businesses nominated.

“This year we created a bigger-than-ever public awareness campaign to tell people about the awards program,” said Patrick Yalung, regional manager for Wells Fargo in Tucson and greater Arizona.

Gonzalez-Gann, who was nominated for her success as owner of Jan-Co Janitorial, said, “We’ll be happy no matter who wins. We’ve competed for the same awards before.”

The two businesswomen travel in the same circles while supporting the ideals and goals of the small business community.

Màrquez-Peterson, who is also president of the Tucson chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners, said she believes “the challenges I’ve faced in the male-dominated industry, as well as my work to help form the Pima County Small Business Commission, was key to my nomination.”

“The Tucson small-business community is very tightknit,” she said. Small-business owners “support each other very well here. There’s always enough business for everybody.”

“We have to understand that small business is really big business,” said Betty Hess, one of five Copper Cactus judges. “Small business makes up 98 percent of all tax revenue in Arizona, so you can see why it needs everyone’s support.”

Aside from her work with Jan-Co, Gonzalez-Gann has an eye on making an impact in the education of future businesswomen. She is the founder of the Elizabeth Gonzalez-Gann Scholarship for promising young Latinas.

COPPER CACTUS WINNERS

Tucson Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce’s Small Business Leader of The Year Award

Lea Màrquez-Peterson, American Retail Corp.

Community Service Awards

Bear Essential News for Kids; DeConcini, McDonald, Yetwin & Lacy; The Specialists; Pepsi-Cola Bottling of Tucson

Business Growth Awards

Tucson Long-term Care Medical Group; Pathway Developments; Engineering & Environmental Consultants; Care Giver Connection of Arizona

Best Place To Work Awards

Azmira Holistic Animal Care; Venture West Group; Casa de la Luz Hospice; ScriptSave

PHOTO CREDIT: VAL CAÑEZ/Tucson Citizen

CUTLINE: From left, Elizabeth Gonzalez-Gann, her friend Lea Màrquez-Peterson, and Gonzalez-Gann’s brother and business partner, Fernando Gonzales, talk during the Copper Cactus Awards last night at the Westin La Paloma Resort and Spa.

Citizen Staff

By SHELLEY SHELTON

sshelton@tucsoncitizen.com

A new nomination process has competition for this year’s Wells Fargo Copper Cactus Awards heating up, with the submission deadline Sunday.

“This year, we’re trying to involve the public in the process more,” said Jill Rivera, marketing and community relations manager at Wells Fargo.

For the first time, nomination forms are available at all Wells Fargo branches in southern Arizona.

Nominations also can be made by logging on to CopperCactusAwards.com, Rivera said.

In the past, business owners nominated themselves by filling out an information packet.

While last year’s applications totaled fewer than 100, more than 160 nominations have been submitted this year.

More are expected before the deadline, Rivera said.

“It’s definitely in- creased,” she said.

The three categories are: Best Place to Work, Business Growth and Community Service.

Each category has four winners in the following classes: 1 to 19 employees, 20 to 49, 50 to 99 and 100 to 250.

For the third consecutive year, the Tucson Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce’s small business leader of the year ceremony will be combined with the Copper Cactus honors.

The criteria are similar and nominations may be made on the same form.

“The small business leader of the year is for one person, the leader,” Rivera said.

“The Copper Cactus Awards are really for the entire company.”

Recipients of the 2002 Copper Cactus Awards included Dakotacom.net, Beyond Bread, Bookman’s, and Chestnut Construction.

Howard Stewart of AGM Container Controls took home the small business leader of the year honor.

This year’s top companies will be honored at a dinner Sept. 18 at The Westin La Paloma Resort & Spa.