Suspect Is Captured After 2 Crimes Go Awry

After a failed carjacking and a robbery that netted nothing, a Glendale fugitive was finally nabbed by Burbank police officers Monday afternoon at a crowded intersection in front of Warner Bros. Studios, authorities said.

The incident began at 11:20 a.m. when Artur Papikyan, 29, who was not armed, attempted to rob a 74-year-old Burbank man as he left the Bank of America at Toluca Lake Street and West Olive Avenue, according to Burbank police.

“The man had just made a deposit inside the bank and was holding an empty merchant bag,” said Officer Craig Varner, who commandeered a private van to catch the alleged robber.

Papikyan fled with the bag and hid as police conducted a quick search, Varner said. A short time later, an employee of the Smokehouse restaurant phoned police to report seeing Papikyan at the nearby Barham Boulevard bridge.

When police arrived, Papikyan ran and tried to overtake a white compact car parked near the intersection of Barham Boulevard and Forest Lawn Drive, Varner said. The driver sped off when Papikyan grabbed the passenger door handle, throwing him to the ground, said Varner.

Pursuing Papikyan on foot, Varner commandeered a van stopped for a red light and asked the driver, Estuardo Nigthal, 30, of North Hollywood, to help him pursue the robber, he said.

“I just asked him if he wouldn’t mind helping me, and he acted like a good citizen,” Varner said.

The van pulled in front of Papikyan as he tried to flee from the attempted carjacking and he surrendered, Varner said.

Papikyan was wanted by Glendale police after escaping Wednesday from the Glendale Municipal courthouse while awaiting arraignment on a spousal abuse charge, authorities said.

He was being held in lieu of $265,000 bail Monday night at the Burbank police station.