Police Chase Down Bank Robber

By Anne La Jeunesse

Friday, April 30 --Police quickly captured an alleged bank robber Tuesday after pursuing the suspect from Santa Monica to the Crenshaw district of Los Angeles, police said.

Ernest Jones Jr., 35, who was on probation for a prior bank robbery, was arrested at 11:16 a.m. Tuesday on suspicion of bank robbery, less than 30 minutes after the Bank of America located at 1430 Wilshire Blvd. was robbed, said Lt. Gary Gallinot of the Santa Monica Police Department.

Jones was arrested on suspicion of one count each of robbery and evading police, Gallinot said.

"The suspect presented the teller with a demand note and ran from the bank, carrying a bag of money taken in the hold-up," Gallinot said. "Minutes later, a Santa Monica police officer spotted the car driving erratically on the Santa Monica Freeway at Lincoln Boulevard, heading eastbound."

Noting that the driver's appearance matched a description of the bank robbery suspect, officers chased the car to the 4800 block of Tacana Street in Los Angeles, where the suspect, later identified as Jones, fled from his rolling car in an alley.

Officers chased him on foot and one officer fired several shots at Jones, but did not strike him, after Jones turned toward him in a threatening manner, Gallinot said.