Man Held in Robberies of Mar Vista Area Homes : Crime: At least 14 Westside break-ins are tied to suspected robber. Police say he was apprehended after fleeing from an officer, glancing back and running into a tree.

Los Angeles police have arrested a man they believe is responsible for a spree of robberies since July in which a gunman broke into Westside homes, tied up the occupants and made off with their valuables--often in their cars.

Police arrested the man last week as he was walking in a Mar Vista neighborhood that had been the scene of several robberies.

Los Angeles Police Lt. Al Michelena of the Pacific Division said Willie Sims, 35, of Los Angeles may have done many, if not all, of the 14 house robberies reported to police between July 31 and Sept. 15.

Sims was booked on five counts of armed robbery and violating his parole, stemming from a previous burglary conviction.

In all but one case, in which a victim was punched, the gunman did not hurt the occupants of the homes.

“We were almost ready to give the guy the nickname of ‘Nice Guy.’ But (instead) we caught him,” Michelena said.

“His (method of operation) was pretty distinct. He’d tie his victims up with duct tape and would wear a ski mask and gardening gloves.”

Although many of the robberies took place in Mar Vista, there had been similar incidents in West Los Angeles, the Wilshire area and Beverly Hills, he said.

Investigations into the cases are ongoing, with detectives in Beverly Hills and three Los Angeles Police divisions working to ascertain which of the robberies Sims may have been responsible for.

Michelena said police are seeking a second gunman that witnesses reported in some of the robberies. Police are also looking into the possibility that Sims committed other crimes, such as residential burglaries.

Police said it is not clear why certain houses were targeted. The robber would often break in, instead of entering through unlocked doors or windows, and appeared to be focusing on single-family homes in middle-class neighborhoods.

Once inside, the robber would bind victims with duct tape, cover their faces and take cash, jewelry, VCRs and television sets. Often the gunman made several trips, hauling the booty out to the victim’s car and then stealing the vehicle, police said.

The break in the case came Friday night after Los Angeles police increased patrols in the Mar Vista area.

Police said Sgt. George Aitchison spotted Sims walking in the vicinity of Victoria and Coolidge avenues at about 8:30 p.m. Sims matched the description provided by witnesses--right down to the white tennis shoes the robber reportedly wore, Michelena said.

After briefly speaking to Aitchison, Sims fled, and the officer pursued him, Michelena said.

Sims looked back to see if he was being pursued and ran into a low-hanging tree limb, police said. The impact knocked Sims to the ground and rendered him briefly unconscious.

“It was like a classic movie, running into a tree and knocking himself out like that,” Michelena said.