PHOENIX -- Police have five of seven suspects in custody in connection with a string of armed robberies, and police are searching for the remaining two.

Twelve robberies in a week

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VIDEO: Victim speaks out

VIDEO: Police: Suspects behind a string of robberies

Police set up a huge perimeter -- about two square miles -- in the area of 38th Street and Thunderbird Road.

Officers were pursuing a car carrying four suspects in that area early this morning. The suspects -- all Hispanic juveniles -- bailed out and ran through the neighborhood. Police caught two of them. The other two are still on the loose.

The other three suspects in custody were caught earlier in a minivan near 24th Drive and Cactus Road.

The five suspects in custody have been identified as Alfredo Pareja-Barrajn, 17; Antonio Lopez, 17; Jordan Paredez, 16; Miguel Hernandez, 14; and Roberto Hernandez, 17.

According to Sgt. Joel Tranter of the Phoenix Police Department, the suspects are responsible for a series of robberies over the past week or so, including five incidents Thursday night alone.

Police say at 12:18 a.m., a person on the street was robbed at 18000 N. 47th Ave. At 12:30 a.m., a person in the front yard of a residence was robbed at 14000 N. 36th St. At 1:52 a.m., a taxi cab driver was robbed at 16207 N. 11th Place. At 3:04 a.m., a taxi cab driver was robbed at 6112 N. First Ave. Then at 3:17 a.m., a person at a car wash at 19th Avenue and Cactus Road was robbed.

One of the cab drivers robbed last night told 3TV that she got a call to pick some individuals.

She said she hadn't even put her cab in park when four Hispanic males jumped in, put a knife to her throat and demanded money.

The woman said the men were upset that she didn't have much cash as she had just started her shift. She said they took what she had and left. She they hopped into a car that was waiting nearby.

Those suspects were the four involved in the pursuit.

Of the two juveniles police caught, one reportedly busted into a home in the area. The homeowner was able to get safety and call 911. That home is where police arrested the teen.

Police were primed and ready for last night's activity.

"These suspects are responsible for a series of robberies over the past week to 10 days, focusing on cab drivers and targets of opportunity," Tranter said. "Many of these robberies were street jumps, where simply people were either just standing in their front yards or walking down the sidewalk"

Tranter said the suspects were always armed with either knives or guns.

Police are confident that it's just a matter of time before they catch the remaining two suspects.