PD: Traffic stalls on US 60 as authorities followed car involved in robbery, carjacking

MESA, Ariz. - Traffic stalled out on US 60 at Dobson Road on Wednesday afternoon as authorities investigated an incident that began a day earlier.

Traffic began backing up around 5:30 p.m. in the eastbound lanes of the highway as officers were trailing a suspect involved in a reported carjacking and robbery.

A DPS Trooper was seen using their patrol car as a blockade to stop traffic on US 60 around 5:52 p.m. By 6 p.m., ADOT said lanes were opening back up.

Officers followed the car for miles, spanning different Valley freeways. This was all part of an incident that began the day prior, Mesa Police said.

On Jan. 9 at around 5 p.m., Mesa Police responded to reports of a robbery and carjacking. When it was reported, a vehicle description was given, but no suspects were found.

"We also had a license plate stolen off an unrelated vehicle yesterday around that same timeframe. The license plate was entered as stolen into our statewide database," police said.

On Jan. 10, Phoenix Police officers tried to stop a driver who was in a car with the stolen license plate on it.

The driver reportedly didn't stop and took off.

"Phoenix police were able to get some additional personnel in the area in unmarked vehicles. They located the vehicle moving and followed it from a safe distance hoping that the people inside would stop and get out of the vehicle. The vehicle drove from Phoenix to Apache Junction and then headed back west," police said.

When they got to Mesa, they let the Mesa Police Department know.

Mesa Police officers responded and followed the car from a safe distance and made clear they were "never engaging the vehicle in any way."

"The vehicle traveled all the way to north Phoenix where two people got out of the vehicle and were quickly apprehended," police said. "The two people in the vehicle have been detained."

No more information was made available.