Written by David K. Li, Diana Dasrath, and Andrew Blankstein

Derrick Ward, a former NFL running back who played for the New York Giants and won a Super Bowl ring, was taken into custody on Monday on suspicion of robbing several businesses in Southern California, according to authorities.

According to Los Angeles police, Ward, 43, is suspected of robbing at least five establishments, including gasoline stations. Police added that they did not suspect the 6-foot, 230-pound guy of carrying a gun during any of those acts.

According to jail records, Ward was in LAPD custody on Tuesday, detained in lieu of $250,000 bail.

Before attending Fresno State and Ottawa University in Kansas during his college football career, Ward was raised in Riverside County, Southern California.

The New York Jets selected him in the seventh round of the 2004 NFL Draft; however, he was waived before he could play in a regular-season game.

Nevertheless, he went on to have a successful eight-season career as a journeyman, playing for the Houston Texans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Giants.

During his most fruitful period, he was a member of Big Blue in 51 games between 2004 and 2009, where he ran for 1,750 yards on 342 runs (5.1 yards per carry).

He played for the 2007 squad that finished 10-6 in the regular season and went on an incredible run to win the Super Bowl, defeating the New England Patriots, who had never lost before, in the championship game.

The highlight of that 17-14 victory on February 3, 2008, was Giants wide receiver David Tyree’s “Helmet Catch,” which set up the game-winning touchdown.

After injuring his leg late in the season, Ward was unable to participate in the final game. After making a full recovery, he ran for a career-high 1,025 yards in 2008.

On Tuesday, it was unclear if Ward had chosen or been assigned a criminal defense lawyer. A comment from his manager could not be obtained right away