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Aug 2, 2007 9:09 am US/Central
Police In Euless Arrest Alleged 'Female Bandit'
EULESS (CBS 11 News) ―
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Phyllis Dawn Harvey
North Richland Hills Police Dept.
Police in Euless say that they have arrested the woman believed to be responsible for a string of crimes around North Texas.
Phyllis Dawn Harvey was apprehended by officers without incident during a traffic stop on the 200 block of South Ector Drive at about 2:40 a.m. Thursday. Police say she had recently cut and dyed her hair.
According to police, the 33-year-old alleged 'Female Bandit' is suspected of robbing several businesses in the Tarrant County area.
Harvey has also been charged with parole violation. In 1993, Harvey was sentenced to 30 years in prison, but she was paroled in 2004.
Anjoli Jeevaraj, one of Harvey's robbery victims, says it's really good the female bandit was caught.
"Words can't explain it. I feel good relief," she said.
Businesses hit by the suspected bandit include motels in North Richland Hills and Bedford, a cell phone store in Fort Worth, a gas station in Grapevine and a fast food restaurant in North Richland Hills. In some of the crimes, a gun was shown, but not used.
On Wednesday, police in North Richland Hills said the same woman carjacked a 2004 Volkswagen Jetta at gunpoint and took off with the driver still in the car. That driver was released unharmed in Fort Worth a short time later.
While investigating that carjacking, police found another stolen car that had been abandoned at the scene. That car, a Honda Accord, is believed to have also been carjacked 30 minutes earlier in Richland Hills by the same person.
Police say at one point Harvey committed 8 crimes in just two days.
"We figured she would commit a crime and lay low," Sgt. Gary Landers of the Euless Police Department said. "But you wouldn't figure someone would commit four to five crimes in 10 hours."
Euless police say Harvey was finally detained Thursday. She was a passenger in a car being stopped for expired registration.
The driver had no identification or insurance, so both went to jail. The driver, who police identify as Randy Wayne Duncan, is being held on misdemeanor offences.
Harvey was identified by her fingerprints.
Besides the probation violation, Harvey is charged with three aggravated robberies.
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