Multiple crashes on Highway 1 in Burnaby Tuesday afternoon involved the suspect vehicle in a Burnaby bank robbery, according to police.
Burnaby RCMP responded to reports of a robbery at a bank in the 6700 block of Hastings Street just before noon, according to an email from the detachment.
“While Burnaby RCMP officers were in the early stages of their investigation, a driver, believed to be the same suspect from the bank robbery, was then allegedly involved in several crashes which occurred on Highway 1,” stated the email.
BC Highway Patrol said the hit-and-run collisions began at about 1 p.m.
"The vehicle was either directly or indirectly involved in hit-and-run collisions at or near Gaglardi Way, Government Street and Brunette Avenue, where it finally stopped," said a highway patrol statement.
Police said the suspect then abandoned their damaged vehicle and tried to flee on foot across Highway 1 but was arrested by Burnaby RCMP and the police dog service "very shortly thereafter."
The multiple crashes caused lengthy backups on the freeway, but any injuries associated with the crashes were "reportedly minor in nature," according to police.
There are now two separate police investigations underway, with Burnaby RCMP handling the robbery investigation and highway patrol handling the investigation into the crashes.
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