Two men are accused of stealing a white Mercedes Benz at gunpoint and crashing it into a backyard while trying to flee from police Wednesday morning, officials said. 

The carjacking took place just before 4 a.m. at a Shell gas station at 27th Avenue and Indian School Road in Phoenix.

At least one of the men pointed a gun at the car owner and threatened to shoot him if he didn’t hand over the keys, according to Sgt. Alan Pfohl, a Phoenix police spokesman.

“The victims told police one of their cell phones was still in the vehicle, so police began tracking it,” Pfohl said.

A police officer spotted the stolen Mercedes near 19th Avenue and Roeser Road, and a chase ensued through south Phoenix.

The car chase ended when the Mercedes crashed into a residential backyard at Elwood and Third streets, across from the Phoenix Police Department’s South Mountain Precinct.

That’s when Phoenix police say the two men jumped out of the car and began to run.

“Police officers established a perimeter,” Pfohl said, “and with the help of the police helicopter and K9, the suspects were located and arrested.”

Police say they also retrieved a small handgun.

 

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