Mesa police arrest 'Thirsty Cowboy' robbery suspect

MESA, Ariz. (AP) - A convicted felon has been arrested in connection with a series of armed robberies in Mesa and Tempe.

Mesa police say 58-year-old Aaron Michael Hess is facing several counts of armed robbery with a deadly weapon and aggravated assault along with kidnap-apprehension.

They say Hess is suspected in three armed robberies in Mesa and one in Tempe between Nov. 27 and Dec. 12.

Police have dubbed them the "Thirsty Cowboy" case because of the types of places that were robbed and the robber's attire.

Officers served a search warrant for Hess' residence and reported finding a cowboy hat, shirts worn during robberies and a toy revolver that had been altered to look real.

Authorities say Hess is on probation after completing a 10-year prison sentence in Arizona for armed robbery.