A group of five teenagers suspected in a spree of pattern robberies at businesses around Seattle are off the streets and could soon be facing charges.
Since December, the group of suspects — which includes a 16-year-old, two 17-year-olds, an 18-year-old and a 19-year-old — have robbed at least seven corner stores and pawn shops in north and south Seattle while masked and armed.
Two of the suspected members of the robbery crew were arrested by King County Sheriff’s deputies on February 28 following a botched robbery and gunfight at a Burien pawn shop. Police arrested a third man involved in that robbery the next day.
Detectives arrested a fourth member of the group in south Seattle on March 14, and a fifth suspect turned himself in to police on March 19.
Following the arrests, SPD’s Robbery Unit was able to close seven open cases.
“These are bad guys. They actually fired a shot in one of the robberies,” says SPD Robbery Unit Sgt. Kevin Aratani, who believes the men “would have continued” their pattern of robberies if detectives hadn’t arrested them.