Felony Suspect Arrested After Leading Police On High-Speed Chase Across San Fernando Valley

BURBANK (CBSLA) – A felony suspect who led officers on a high-speed chase that traversed several neighborhoods in the San Fernando Valley Friday morning temporarily escaped in the area of the Sherman Oaks Galleria before being arrested nearby.

Los Angeles police report that the chase began at around 9:30 a.m. with a black Mercedes sedan at North Glenoaks Boulevard and Cabrini Drive.

The chase then wound its way into nearby Northridge and then Reseda. The male suspect then jumped onto the southbound 101 Freeway in Encino.

He then transitioned onto the northbound 101 Freeway, then the 405 Freeway, before exiting onto surface streets in Sherman Oaks.

Just after 10:45 a.m., Sky2 lost sight of the vehicle in the area of the Sherman Oaks Galleria, located at 15301 Ventura Blvd.

Police had helicopters circling the Galleria and officers searching cars as they came out of the Galleria parking lot.

"They searched my car. A gentleman with a semi-automatic weapon," said one driver leaving the parking structure.

Another driver heard rumors of a bomb threat and believed that was why police were searching vehicles.

"Someone made a bomb threat I think," he told CBSLA's Amy Johnson. "They're searching everybody's trunk and cars...It's all in the effort of safety."

Sometime before 1:20 p.m., officers found the Mercedes in question and towed it out of the Galleria's lot.

The suspect was wanted for multiple counts of identity theft and grand theft. Police had been searching for him for several days when they spotted him this morning.

He suspect was later arrested nearby.