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Police searching for suspect after north Phoenix carjacking

Posted at 3:12 PM, Mar 13, 2017
and last updated 2017-03-14 11:15:54-04

Police are searching for a suspect who carjacked a man at a north Phoenix gas station Monday afternoon.

According to Phoenix Police Sgt. Johnathan Howard, around 2 p.m., the victim was fueling his work van near 30th Avenue and Thunderbird when the suspect got inside and began to drive off.

"He saw me running up to the van," the owner of the van, Scott Powell described. "So he turned and locked the door and started the van, and so I started to run to the back to see if I could get in. "

When the suspect displayed a handgun, Powell got back out.

"He saw that I was starting to move forward and he pointed the gun at me," Powell told ABC15.

Howard said the suspect then took off in Powell's van, going westbound on Thunderbird.

The van, described as a white 2004 Chevy with "Classic Carpet Cleaning" in red lettering on the side, is a key piece of Powell's livelihood.

"How am I going to pay my bills? What happens if I don't get the truck back how long is this process going to take," he's now left wondering.

The suspect is described as a white male in his late 20s, wearing a black shirt and jeans, and armed with a handgun, though Powell had a more specific description after coming face-to-face with the thief.

"He appeared to be a white guy, but a blue guy at the same time. Because he just had ink all over his face."

Neither the vehicle nor the suspect have been located, Howard said.