Ames police believe they have apprehended an individual who is responsible for a series of bank robberies in Ames.

At approximately 10:22 a.m. Monday, the Ames Police Department received a bank alarm from First Federal Bank, 316 S. Duff Ave., said Sgt. Mike Johns of the Ames Police Department.

“We had several officers in the vicinity [of the bank],” Johns said. “As those officers responded, a bank employee actually followed the suspect out of the bank and kept an eye on him.”

Johns said the bank employee kept in contact with the police officers and informed them of the suspect’s location.

“Officers converged on the suspect, and he was apprehended as he tried to hide behind a Dumpster located in the 200 block of Des Moines Street,” he said.

The suspect, identified as David John Pederson, 44, Wayzata, Minn., offered no resistance to officers at the time of the arrest, Johns said.

“When [Pederson] was arrested, he was found to be in possession of an undetermined amount of money,” Johns said. “He was charged with four counts of second-degree robbery.”

He said the Ames Police Department believes Pederson is responsible for other bank robberies in Ames this summer. First National Bank, 2330 Lincoln Way, was robbed July 5. F&M Bank, 402 Lincoln Way, was robbed June 18, and First American Bank, 520 Grand Ave., was robbed June 4.

Officials said the suspect in those robberies was a white male around 40 years of age, with a stocky build and wearing sunglasses and a baseball cap. Johns said Pederson matches this description.

“The bank employees were suspicious of this individual when he came into the bank,” Johns said.

He said the suspect did not display a weapon, and no one was injured in the robbery. However, chasing a robbery suspect is not advisable, Johns said.

“We don’t encourage employees to go after individuals,” he said.

First Federal Bank officials referred all questions regarding Monday’s robbery to the Ames Police Department.

Johns said the Ames Police Department has been in contact with banks in Des Moines, Sioux City and Sioux Falls, S.D. regarding Pederson.

“We would strongly suspect this individual is responsible for other robberies in these cities,” Johns said. “We would assume more charges will be filed against this individual.”