Alleged Triple-Threat Bandit Arrested After High-Speed Chase

A high-speed chase through Orange County ended today with handcuffs on the man police believe robbed three banks in one morning last month.

However, according to police, the “Triple Threat” bandit only managed to hit two banks this morning before being arrested.

The suspect, whose name has not yet been released, is alleged to have robbed the Farmers and Merchants branch in Lakewood this morning before moving onto the Banco Popular in Fullerton.

The Banco Popular holdup happened shortly before 1 p.m., Fullerton
police Sgt. Andrew Goodrich said. The suspect gave the teller a note demanding
money but did not show a weapon, Goodrich said. Shortly after he made his get away, Fullerton police spotted his maroon and gave chase, Goodrich said. He made it all the way to the Imperial (105) Freeway near Prairie Avenue in Hawthorne, when traffic thwarted his escape. . At that point --
he stopped his vehicle, got out, raised his hands and surrendered. He was
arrested by CHP officers, who had joined the pursuit by that point.
FBI Agent Chris Gicking said the suspect is believed to be the ''Triple
Threat Bandit,'' who held up three Orange County banks before lunchtime on Aug. 19 before.

The suspect seems to match the description of the Triple Threat Bandit, and he was driving a maroon Chevy Suburban, the same vehicle used in the Aug. 19 heists, FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller said.

The Triple Threat Bandit is suspected of holding up the Orange County Credit Union in the 1400 block of South Harbor Boulevard in Fullerton at 9:39 a.m., the Union Yes Federal Credit Union in the 1900 block of West Chapman Avenue in Orange at 10:15 a.m. and the U.S. Bank branch in the 5400 block of Beach Boulevard in Buena Park at about 11:00 a.m.

In each robbery, the bandit approached a teller and passed a note
demanding 100- and 50-dollar bills. No weapon was seen during the crimes.

City News Service Contributed to this Report.