A carjacking suspect who led California Highway Patrol on a Riverside County chase that ended on a San Diego freeway may also be the "Chit Chat Bandit," the FBI says.
Jared Levi Hansen was arrested after the Dec. 4 chase and taken back to Murrietta by Riverside County authorities on charges of carjacking, assault with a deadly weapon, felony possession of a firearm, evading police and a slew of other charges related to the pursuit.
The FBI has now reported that Hansen is also suspected of robbing three San Diego banks between Nov. 26 and Dec. 2. The robber was dubbed the "Chit Chat Bandit" because he made small talk with tellers while demanding money at banks in La Jolla and El Cajon.
Hansen started a police chase on the night of Dec. 2 after attempting to carjack an elderly couple in Riverside County, then stealing a mini van from another man when the couple refused to give up their vehicle, the FBI report said.
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The chase ended on Interstate 15 near the Mercy Road exit when the stolen mini van was no longer able to drive on its wheels after a police spike strip took out the van's left tires, according to CHP. Once the van finally stopped, Hansen was taken into custody without incident.
He was allegedly armed with a .45 caliber semi-automatic handgun which is suspected of being used during both the carjackings, authorities said.
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Hansen was booked into Southwest Detention Center in Riverside County on several felony charge related to the carjackings, according to the Riverside Sheriffs website. The website does not yet reflect charges related to the bank robberies, however.
According to arrest information, Hansen has priors and was on felony parole at the time of his arrest. He is currently held without bail and is due in court Wednesday, Dec. 17 in Murrietta.
