SAN DIEGO (CNS) - A suspect in a spree of recent bank robberies in Clairemont, Linda Vista and the Midway area was arrested Wednesday following a brief road and foot chase.
Patrol officers spotted the man -- who closely matched the description of the so-called "Bag Trick Bandit" serial robber -- driving a U-Haul truck in the area of Linda Vista Road and Kramer Street about 8 a.m., according to San Diego police.
The suspect, whose name was not immediately available, refused to yield and fled over various streets to the south and east, soon entering Mission Valley, Officer Tony Martinez said.
In the 5500 block of Friars Road, the fleeing driver lost control of the truck and crashed it into a parked car, then jumped out and ran off into a riverbed area. With the help of a service dog, officers took him into custody a short time later.
The man is a suspect in holdups at a Bank of America branch on Ulric Street and a US Bank on Genesee Avenue, both on Dec. 21; at a Wells Fargo on Clairemont Drive on Jan. 5; and at a US Bank on Midway Drive on Jan. 8 and again Sunday.
During several of the crimes, the perpetrator had a bag over one of his hands and gestured with it as if he was clutching a concealed gun, leading to the nickname pinned on him by police and FBI investigators.
