Former NFL star Derrick Ward arrested in L.A. robbery spree

REPORTING LIVE IN THE KTLA NEWSCENTER CARLOS KTLA 5 NEWS RUNNING BACK AND SUPER BOWL CHAMPION IS BEHIND BARS TONIGHT ACCUSED THE SAN FERNANDO ROBBERY VALLEY ROBBERY SPREE. PLAYER DERRICK WARD WAS ARRESTED YESTERDAY HE IS BEING HELD ON ROBBERY CHARGES KTLA IS MARY BETH MCDADE JOINS US LIVE IN STUDIO CITY WITH A LOOK AT WARD’S ALLEGED CRIME SPREE AND B. WELL SHARON MICAH DETECTIVES TELL US THAT HE TARGETED THIS SHELL GAS SUNDAY NIGHT NOW THEY’RE NOT REVEALING HOW THEY TRACKED HIM DOWN, BUT THEY DID AND ARRESTED HIM THE NEXT DAY BRINGING AN END TO HIS ALLEGED

MONTH LONG CRIME SPREE. FROM A NEW YORK GIANTS SUPER BOWL CHAMPION RUNNING BACK TO A SUSPECTED ROBBER LAPD DETECTIVES BELIEVE DERRICK WARD IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ROBBING AT LEAST 5 BUSINESSES IN THE VALLEY DETECTIVES HAD DISCOVERED THAT HE WAS INVOLVED IN A SERIES OF ROBBERIES THROUGHOUT THE VALLEY. ONCE THEY DISCOVERED HIS IDENTITY THE DETECTIVES WENT TO HIS RESIDENCE WHERE HE ARRESTED. DETECTIVES TELL US 43 YEAR-OLD BOY WAS ARRESTED MONDAY WITHOUT INCIDENT. THEY SAY IS CRIME SPREE BEGAN IN MID-NOVEMBER OR NOVEMBER 19TH IS ONE OF THE FIRST INCIDENTS IS THAT WE HAVE DOCUMENTED THAT WE BELIEVE THAT

HE WAS INVOLVED. AND THEN THAT CONTINUED INTO DECEMBER. POLICE SAY THE FIRST BUSINESS HE TARGETED WAS A PIZZA HUT AND THEN AFTER THAT THE REST WERE ALL GAS

STATIONS, INCLUDING THIS AMPM IN STUDIO CITY IN MID DECEMBER CAYMAN LIKE AROUND THE DECLINE OPEN THAT DONE. THEN MONEY AND WARTS FINAL LEDGE THEIS OCCURRED THE NIGHT BEFORE HIS ARREST SUNDAY EVENING AT THIS SHELL STATION IN STUDIO CITY. POLICE TELL US WELL NO WEAPONS WERE USED ANY OF THE CRIMES FORCE WAS IT WAS GENERALLY IN THE COMMISSION OF HIM REACHING CASH REGISTER OR OR PUSHING THE CLERK OUT

OF THE WAY TOWARD PLAYED IN THE NFL FOR 8 SEASONS FOR SEVERAL TEAMS, INCLUDING THE GIANTS AND THE BUCCANEERS. HE GREW UP IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA WHERE HE ATTENDED VALLEY VIEW HIGH AND MARINO VALLEY. AND BRIEFLY PLAYED FOOTBALL AT FRESNO STATE, IT’S AN UNFORTUNATE SET OF I KNOW THAT THE NFL AND THEIR UNION PROVIDE A LOT OF RESOURCES FOR AND FORMER PLAYERS DETECTIVES SAY THEY’RE STILL INVESTIGATING HOW WE FELL AND ILL WILL AND WHAT MOTIVATED HIM TO COMMIT THESE ROBBERIES WE DIDN’T FIND ANY ANY SORT OF EVIDENCE THAT SUGGESTED DRUGS OR GAMBLING AT THIS TIME. HE

JUST SAID THAT HE JUST DIDN’T HAVE ANY MONEY. AND WARDS BAIL IS SET AT $250,000 LAST CHECK A JAIL RECORDS HE STILL HAD NOT FAILED HIMSELF OUT FOR NOW REPORTING LIVE HERE IN STUDIO CITY MARY BETH MCDADE WILSON BACK TO YOU GUYS IN THE STUDIO.