A carjacking and robbery suspect nicknamed the "opportunistic bandit" is believed responsible for a dozen crimes in Los Angeles and at least seven similar incidents in communities including Santa Monica and Pasadena.

The latest carjacking unfolded about 8:45 p.m. Sunday in the 1700 block of N. Highland Avenue in Hollywood when he hit a woman buying gas and stole her purse and car, police said.

While inside the gas station store, the suspect walked up to the woman and attempted a casual conversation. After she left the store and got into her car, he suddenly approached and jumped into the car through the passenger door.

Detectives say he then hit the woman "a number of times and forced her out of her car." He sped away in the car.

Police say the carjacker recently assaulted a 76-year-old woman while taking her car and purse.

LAPD Robbery-Homicide detectives said the suspect also enters occupied and unoccupied cars in business parking lots and steals purses. But he also has forcibly grabbed purses or money bags from unsuspecting victims, investigators said.