Mother’s tip leads to arrest of son

Published 4:21 pm Thursday, August 5, 2010

EVERETT — The mother of the alleged tanning salon bandit helped police nab their suspect.

The Marysville woman recognized her son, Brandon J. Smith, 24 of Lake Stevens, in surveillance video footage that police released to the media, according to a police affidavit filed Monday in Everett District Court.

She went to the cops and the tip led to Smith’s arrest Sunday.

Smith confessed to a minimum of 17 robberies at tanning salons and adult novelty stores in Snohomish and King counties, the court document said. He told police he used different fake guns that looked real during the robberies.

Two people who were robbed at Everett businesses picked Smith out of a photo montage, the court document said.

Police around Snohomish and King counties have been looking for a suspect in connection with around 20 robberies. Officials were worried because it appeared the suspect’s behavior was becoming more threatening in recent robberies and they were concerned someone might get hurt.

Smith was booked for investigation of three counts of first-degree robbery. The judge ordered him held in lieu of $750,000 bail.

Everett detectives also arrested Smith’s girlfriend, Racquel N. Soliz, 21 of Everett.

She is believed to have helped him by casing the tanning salons, the court document said. Before the robberies, she checked to see how many employees worked there and how old they were, and checked for security cameras and alarms.

At least once, police believe Soliz was a getaway driver after a robbery.

Soliz was booked into the Snohomish County Jail for investigation of first-degree robbery. A judge Monday ordered her held in lieu of $50,000 bail.

Jackson Holtz: 425-339-3437; jholtz@heraldnet.com.