FBI San Diego
Media Coordinator
(858) 320-1800 | SDPublicAffairs@fbi.gov
December 12, 2014

Arrest Made in Chit Chat Bandit Investigation

A man who led Riverside County Sheriff’s Deputies and California Highway Patrol Officers on a vehicle pursuit from Riverside County to San Diego County has been arrested on charges related to the pursuit and carjacking.

Jared Levi Hansen, age 31, was arrested Thursday, December 4, 2014, at approximately 9:00 p.m. in the vicinity of the Interstate 15 southbound lane near the Mercy Road exit. At the time of his arrest Hansen was driving a stolen mini-van and armed with a .45 caliber semi- automatic pistol. Hansen is also alleged to be the bank robber known as the Chit Chat Bandit.

Since Wednesday, November 26, 2014, the San Diego Police Department, San Diego Sheriff’s Department, El Cajon Police Department, and the FBI have been investigating a string of bank robberies by an unknown male dubbed the Chit Chat Bandit.

The Chit Chat Bandit is believed to be responsible for robbing three San Diego County banks during the period November 26, 2014 through December 2, 2014.

The first robbery in the series occurred on Wednesday, November 26, 2014, at approximately 3:05 p.m., with the robbery of the Wells Fargo Bank, 7544 Girard Avenue, La Jolla, California. During this robbery, the Chit Chat Bandit handed the victim teller a demand note for cash. The note demanded the teller to provide him with all the money the teller had in their cash drawer. The Chit Chat Bandit also made a verbal demand for cash and attempted to engage in small talk with the victim teller. After receiving a sum of money, the Chit Chat Bandit exited the bank.

On Friday, November 28, 2014, at approximately 4:58 p.m., the Chit Chat Bandit allegedly robbed the Wells Fargo Bank located inside of the Vons grocery store, 13439 Camino Canada, El Cajon, California. During this robbery, the Chit Chat Bandit approached the victim teller and made a verbal demand for money. While the teller was collecting cash from their cash drawer, the Chit Chat Bandit demanded money from another teller. After receiving a sum of money, the Chit Chat Bandit exited the grocery store and fled on a small green BMX style bicycle.

On Tuesday, December 2, 2014, the Citibank, located at 402 Fletcher Parkway, El Cajon, California, was robbed by a man believed to be the Chit Chat Bandit. During this robbery, a bank customer was physically assaulted by the Chit Chat Bandit.

As a result of this investigation, detectives and agents developed information identifying Hansen as the unknown male allegedly responsible for the robberies attributed to the Chit Chat Bandit. Investigators also determined that Hansen allegedly fled from San Diego County to Riverside County to avoid capture.

On the evening of Thursday, December 4, 2014, Hansen allegedly attempted to carjack a vehicle in Riverside County from an elderly couple. Hansen was allegedly armed with a .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol and pointed the pistol at the couple who did not exit the vehicle. Hansen allegedly fired one round into the ground and another at the vehicle’s grill. The couple stayed in the vehicle and Hansen subsequently ran across the street and confronted a man outside of his home who was hanging Christmas lights. Hansen threatened the man with the pistol and demanded the keys to his minivan. After getting the keys to the minivan, Hansen fled the scene in the stolen minivan. Riverside County Sheriff’s Deputies and California Highway Patrol subsequently located Hansen driving the stolen minivan and followed him from Riverside County to San Diego County.

The minivan was subsequently disabled, and Hansen was taken into custody in San Diego near the intersection of I-15 southbound lane near the Mercy Road exit. Hansen was placed under arrest and transported to a Riverside County Sheriff’s Department patrol station. Hansen remains in custody at this time. At this time, Hansen is only being detained on charges related to the vehicle pursuit and alleged carjacking in Riverside County. Hansen has not been charged at this time with any of the bank robberies attributed to the Chit Chat Bandit.

Anyone with information concerning the Chit Chat Bandit bank robberies is asked to contact the FBI at telephone number (858) 320-1800 or San Diego Crime Stoppers at (888) 540-8477.

An arrest itself is not evidence that the defendant committed the crimes charged. The defendant is presumed innocent until the government meets its burden in court of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.