At about 0220 hours, a security guard at Safeco Field observed five individuals entering the business in the 1200 block of 1st Ave S. He clearly observed one of the individuals crawling through a window and letting the others inside. He called 911 and reported a burglary in progress.
Patrol and K9 officers responded, set up a perimeter around the building, and conducted a building search. They located all five individuals without incident and detained them at the scene. Further investigation revealed that three of the suspects were present and former employees of the company, while the others were simply their companions. Prior to the incident, the group had been frequenting some clubs in Pioneer Square.
After the bars closed, they decided to enter the business illegally, apparently to continue drinking. There is evidence to indicate that they left the window at the point of entry unlocked intentionally to facilitate entry.
Officers booked all five suspects into the King County Jail for the Investigation of Burglary. The Business Manager verified that the employees were not authorized to be present, as they are servers, not janitorial staff. They also do not have keys to the facility. This is consistent with statements made at the scene by the suspects. One of the men had been terminated from business earlier this year.