Cancun, Q.R. — Police in Cancun were able to defuse a hostage situation during an arrest from a public combi. City officers stopped the public transport van after surveillance captured a thief board the vehicle.
The man they watched hop on board the van was being tracked after robbing a local convenience store. When police stopped the combi to arrest the man, he produced a knife and held it against the throat of a woman who was also inside the van.
Cancun officers responding to the incident were able to defuse the situation and make their arrest.
The incident happened early Friday afternoon when the suspect, armed with a knife, robbed a convenience store in SM 63. The robbery was reported to 9-1-1 by store staff at around 12:40 p.m.
City surveillance watched as the suspect ran from the store on foot with his stolen cash. He was seen hopping on a city combi that was tracked until police intercepted the van on José López Portillo Avenue.
According to the preliminary report, when officers asked him to get out of the combi, he refused and instead, grabbed a female passenger, holding a knife to her neck. She was freed when the man moved to a front seat of the van from where he was taken down by city officers.
The man was taken into custody without incident. Police reported finding the stolen cash on him at the time of his arrest. The female hostage from inside the combi was not hurt. Police have not identified the man they have in custody, nor have they specified possible charges.
