Officers arrested two carjackers early this morning after they robbed a woman near Pioneer Square and led police brief chase through the Central District.
Police began looking for the suspects after they robbed a woman at gunpoint just before 3 am this morning near 3rd Avenue and Prefontaine Place S.
The female victim was standing on the street smoking a cigarette when a man walked up to her and asked for a smoke. The 34-year-old man then pulled out a gun wrapped in a black scarf and told the victim to hand over her money.
As the 34-year-old man held the victim at gunpoint, a second 45-year-old suspect searched through the victim’s pockets, taking cash and the victim’s car keys.
The two suspects forced the victim to tell them where her car was parked, and then hopped and sped off toward the Central District.
After the victim called 911 to report the robbery, officers spotted the suspects’ vehicle at 12th Avenue and Yesler Way, and tried to pull them over.
The suspects refused to stop and blew through several red lights as they tried to get away from officers.
Eventually the suspects crashed into several parked cars near 30th Avenue and Yesler, where they ditched the car and ran off on foot.
Officers began searching the neighborhood for the suspects, and found the 45-year-old man walking near 31st Avenue and Jackson Street, carrying the victim’s purse in his hand.
The K9 unit sniffed out the 34-year-old suspect, who was found hiding under a porch at 29th Avenue and Washington Street. When officers searched the man, they found the victim’s cellphone, several rocks of crack cocaine, and three counterfeit one-hundred dollar bills.
Officers arrested the two men for robbery and auto theft, and booked them into the King County Jail.
Police are still looking for two other suspects—a man and a woman—who apparently accompanied the 34-year-old and 45-year-old on their wild ride.