3 Robbery Suspects Arrested After 100-Mile Chase : Pursuit: After allegedly holding up a Bakersfield store, the men flee officers for an hour before their car gives out on the Sepulveda Pass.

California Highway Patrol officers Monday arrested three men whose car apparently overheated on its way up the Sepulveda Pass after a 100-mile chase at speeds up to 120 m.p.h. from Bakersfield, where the three allegedly robbed a K mart at gunpoint.

Tossing packets of heroin and wads of money out of their car, the three men led Bakersfield police and CHP officers down the Golden State Freeway before peacefully surrendering on the San Diego Freeway just south of the Mulholland Drive exit, smoke billowing from the front grille of their 1984 Oldsmobile, CHP Officer Wendy Moore said.

Although “a great deal” of money was still in the car, CHP officers found no gun, she said.

Moore said criminals sometimes flee CHP officers at 100-m.p.h.-plus speeds, but “they usually don’t maintain that speed for very long.” But these suspects were able to complete the 100-mile trip from Bakersfield to Sherman Oaks in about an hour.

The suspects were returned to Bakersfield and held by police there. Because the suspects gave several false names, their true identities could not immediately be established, police said.

Police say two of the men burst into a Bakersfield K mart about 1:15 p.m., brandishing handguns and demanding money. Taking an undisclosed sum, they fled in their gray Oldsmobile, which was spotted leaving an apartment building behind the store, Bakersfield Police Sgt. Bill Henry said.

Bakersfield police gave chase, pursuing the car into Tejon Pass, then let CHP officers take over the pursuit as it led into the Santa Clarita and San Fernando valleys.

Moore said that throughout the chase the car “very rarely” traveled at less than 100 m.p.h., and a CHP spokesman said smoke was seen billowing from the rear of the car during the whole pursuit. As it began to head up the Sepulveda Pass, however, the car “lost power dramatically” and came to rest on the shoulder of the freeway about 2:25 p.m.

“We think that they blew the engine,” Moore said, adding that oil and coolant fluid were found under the car.