CHP officer recognized ‘Highway 101 bandit’ from photos

Bay Area (Map, News) - Napa resident Arthur Cheney, a man known as the ‘Highway 101 bandit’ who is believed to be responsible for bank robberies from San Diego to Petaluma, has been arrested just north of Sacramento, FBI spokesman Steve Dupree said today.

Cheney, who is thought to be responsible for some 16 bank robberies throughout California and as far away as Ohio, was arrested Wednesday afternoon while driving on state Highway 70, according to FBI spokesman Joseph Schadler.

Schadler said that a California Highway Patrol officer recognized the bandit around 4:30 p.m. as he was driving just outside of Marysville.

The officer recognized Cheney from photos that the FBI and other law enforcement agencies had released to authorities around the state. The bandit was subsequently pulled over and taken into custody.

The most recent robbery he is thought to be responsible for was Wednesday around 12:30 p.m. in Fairfield.

He allegedly robbed a credit union in Menlo Park on Monday as well as banks in Corte Madera, Palo Alto, Campbell, Burlingame, San Jose and Belmont. FBI officers also suspect that Cheney was responsible for a robbery in Sandy, Utah.

The FBI field office in San Francisco will be in charge of prosecuting Cheney.

— Bay City News