PORTLAND, Ore. -- The suspect in a string of robberies Friday in Portland was taken into custody by customers at a Mexican restaurant after they took offense to a man making insulting comments about Hispanics.

Police say two people were robbed at knifepoint Friday on the MAX light rail line before the same man robbed a convenience store near a MAX station.

But when the man tried to escape by entering a Mexican restaurant, several customers heard him make the insulting comments and took him into custody for police who were responding to calls about the robberies.

The suspect was identified as 51-year-old Stephen Darryl Pefley. He's facing three counts of robbery.