Sharp-eyed cop nabs Roswell suspect

ROSWELL, N.M. (KRQE) - Roswell police said he's been a very busy man, stealing money from local businesses. Now, his luck has run out.

Police believe the same suspect has robbed at least two businesses over the last three days. But Monday night, he was in the wrong place at the right time for police.

Daniel Hardesty, 26, was arrested just after 6 p.m. Monday at a homeless shelter in Roswell. A police officer responding to an unrelated call recognized Hardesty from surveillance video police were shown of a robbery at the Hampton Inn on Saturday.

"We've had the picture on briefing for the past three days," Sgt. Jim Preston said.  "The officers were paying attention, and they immediately recognized this individual had a great similarity to this person."

The video shows a man matching Hardesty's description stealing money from the clerk.

Preston said the robber threatened the clerk but didn't hurt anyone. He managed to get away before police could catch him.

Detectives said it appears the same guy struck again Monday morning at a Payless shoe store. The clerk told police the robber made threats appeared to have a weapon.

The suspect fled the scene before police arrived, but Hardesty is the main suspect in this case.

"We did believe there was a possibility that they were tied in because the description was so like the other one," explained Preston. "But once again, we have to always complete the investigation."

Hardesty is jailed at the Chaves County Detention Center on a robbery charge for the Hampton Inn case.

Detectives are still investigating the Payless robbery. Preston said if detectives do link Hardesty to the Payless robbery and confirm he had a weapon, he'll be charged with armed robbery, which would carry a greater sentence.