Two men sought after separate robberies
Published 9:00 pm Monday, December 18, 2006
MOUNTLAKE TERRACE – A masked man robbed a Bartell Drugs in a busy shopping center Sunday.
Police say they often see a spike in these kinds of brazen holdups during the winter holidays.
“I don’t know what it is, but I notice more convenience store and bank robberies around now,” Mountlake Terrace Deputy Police Chief Mark Connor said.
The suspect reportedly walked into the store about 9:40 p.m. and told an employee he was robbing the store. It is located in the 22800 block of 44th Avenue W., along with several other businesses.
The man didn’t flash a weapon or even say he had one, Connor said.
The suspect was able to force an employee to open a safe. The robber grabbed the cash and ran out of the store.
He wore a full face mask with holes cut out for his eyes.
The only description given by witnesses was that the man was about 5 feet 5 inches tall and he was wearing dark clothing.
Anyone with information about the robbery is asked to call Mountlake Terrace police at 425-670-8260.
“We very seldom see these kind of businesses robbed. They might be burglarized but it’s rare they are robbed like this,” Connor said.
No one was injured, although employees were a little scared by the incident, Connor said.
Employees at a pharmacy in Monroe also were shaken after a man claiming to have a bomb robbed the business.
A pharmacist told police the man had a knife and was carrying a box that he claimed was a bomb, according to Debbie Willis, Monroe police administrative director.
The suspect made off with an unknown amount of prescription medication.
He left behind the box, so a bomb technician was called and later determined there wasn’t a bomb.
The suspect was described as a white male, in his mid-30s, about 5 feet 10 inches tall with a thin build. He was wearing a blue hooded sweatshirt and a baseball cap.
Anyone with information about that robbery is asked to call the Monroe Police Department at 360-794-6300 or the tip line at 360-863-4600.
Reporter Diana Hefley: 425-339-3463 or hefley@heraldnet.com.
