A bank robbery suspect was apprehended shortly after a Shoreline bank was robbed on Tuesday, Nov. 21.
Of five robberies in the city this year, this is the third suspect who has been arrested said Sgt. Kathleen Larson.
“We’re three for five,” said Larson, who was involved in the arrest.
A man, described as 20-25 years old, wearing a baseball hat and dark jacket and jeans, entered the Citibank branch in Shoreline shortly before 2 p.m., according to police documents.
The man handed a bank teller a note that read: “This is a robbery. I have a gun. Give me all the money out of your till now. No dye packs or tracking devices. Do what I say and no one gets hurt.”
After the teller handed the suspect the money, he then left the bank. The manager saw the suspect leave in a gray mini van, which was backed into a parking space at the end of the lot.
“She saw him get in the van and gave a description,” said Larson. “She didn’t have the license plate, but did describe the van.”
After being alerted to the situation, officers observed a van matching the description in the vicinity of 196th Street and 15th Avenue NE.
When officers approached the van, the suspect left the vehicle and ran up a hill while the female driver of the van was taken into custody. One officer stayed with the woman and two officers chased after the suspect on foot.
An officer heard a loud noise coming from the backside of a house in the 19500 block of 14th Avenue NE and saw the suspect kick-in the back door of a house and enter the home.
“At this point it was time for everybody to slow down and think tactically,” said Larson.
Police then placed officers in the neighborhood and determined that the homeowner was not home.
“The suspect then realized the sea of blue surrounding him and he came out,” said Larson. “Officers approached him and he surrendered.”
The van was eventually searched and the money recovered, which was tucked underneath the driver’s side seat.
The suspect was transported and booked into King County Jail for investigation of robbery and burglary. The woman was interviewed by the FBI and released.
The suspect is possibly involved in other area robberies, said FBI spokesperson Robbie Burroughs.
“We are looking into that possibility; we don’t have that nailed down 100 percent,” Burroughs said.
A King County officer on the FBI task force is investigating the case, which will be prosecuted in state court.
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