Search on for 5 chase suspects in north Houston

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- The search is on for five suspected thieves who took off after a high-speed chase last night.

What started as a traffic stop along the North Freeway at FM 1960 around 9pm, quickly escalated when the suspects took off, leading Harris County sheriff's deputies on a chase that ended near Imperial Valley at Parramatta.

Authorities say the suspects bailed out of their vehicle -- while it was still moving -- and took off into an apartment complex and wooded areas nearby. Authorities searched for the suspects, but could not find them.

An HCSO spokesperson tells Eyewitness News the driver refused to pull over and the vehicle used in the chase was stolen. The spokesperson says the vehicle is also possibly tied to three other robberies in the area where the chase started.

When deputies searched the vehicle, they found cell phones and guns and an identification card. No information on the ID has been released.

The case remains under investigation by the Harris County Sheriff's Office.