TEMPE, AZ — The man who allegedly assisted in the $1.2 million armored truck theft in Tempe has been identified and charged.
Court documents obtained by ABC15 show that the Maricopa County Attorney's Office has identified Juan Carlos Ramirez, age 20, as being an accomplice in a $1.2 million armored car theft in Tempe on October 27.
Investigators say that around noon on October 27, a Brinks car was parked outside a Costco store in Tempe. As one employee went into the store, 23-year-old Edwin "Johnny" Jobany Villa stayed with the armored truck and allegedly disabled the video camera inside the truck.
When the employee came out of the store, Villa and the truck were gone.
The armored vehicle was later found behind a nearby store with over $1.2 million in cash missing, investigators say. The money was allegedly transported to Villa's car parked in a nearby parking lot.
The car was later found abandoned near 48th Street and Southern Avenue. Surveillance video from that scene reportedly shows more than one person moving items from the car to a white van.
Investigators say the white van is owned by Ramirez, who police say had multiple cellphone conversations with Villa in the days prior to and the morning of the theft.
The FBI says Villa was located at around 7 p.m. on November 4 near 59th Avenue and Camelback Road in Phoenix, and taken into custody without incident.
Ramirez is still at large. Police say he has no permanent residence in Arizona but does have family ties to Mexico. When he is arrested, he will face a $1,000,000 bond on charges of theft and conspiracy.
Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of Juan Carlos Ramirez is asked to call the FBI's Phoenix Field Office at (623) 466-1999.
