Two teens arrested in connection to South King County robberies

Two teens were arrested in Federal Way in a vehicle connected to multiple robberies in the area.

At about 2:58 a.m. Nov. 24, a Federal Way Police Department officer got in a pursuit with a Chrysler 200 that was allegedly associated with multiple robberies done with an AR-15-style rifle in King and Pierce counties. The pursuit resulted in two juvenile suspects being arrested, two suspects not being caught and the seizure of an AR-15, according to police.

According to the case report, a FWPD officer stated that prior to his involvement in the incident, he had been aware of serial armed robbery suspects in various incidents who were associated with the Porchlight Apartments, 2040 S. 327th Ln. The officer stated he became aware of the association when a stolen car was towed from the complex in September.

Two weeks later, armed robberies occurred throughout South King County and Seattle, and then on Nov. 24, the officer stated that a string of armed robberies had been taking place again in Burien, Seatac, Renton, Kent and Auburn. The officer stated in his report that on Nov. 23, he heard the Kent Police Department report that there had been an armed robbery in which a white Chrysler 200 was stolen with a temporary Washington registration.

In the report, the officer stated that he heard about several additional armed robberies around the valley that included the white Chrysler 200, culminating with an armed robbery in Auburn at about 2:40 a.m. Nov. 24.

“These violent crimes were committed while the suspects were armed with pistols and what was reported to be an AR-15. The suspects had not been identified and there was no indication that the robberies would cease without police intervention,” the officer said in the report. “There are few crimes more serious than armed robbery with an assault rifle and I knew there was therefore a high governmental interest in apprehending the suspects.”

After hearing about the Auburn robbery, the officer stated in the report that he responded to the area of the Porchlight Apartments. When he arrived, he immediately observed the white Chrysler 200 with the matching temporary registration parked in front of the building. The officer stated that the Chrysler then began to drive south on 20th Way S., driving at a high rate of speed, prompting the officer to believe the vehicle was already eluding him.

The officer stated that he then began a pursuit of the vehicle, attempting one pit maneuver to stop it, which largely failed, but a second attempt was successful. The report states that the officer obtained the desired rotation of the suspect vehicle, which did a 180-degree spin, and the right rear of the vehicle impacted the south curb of S. 340th Pl.

The officer stated in the report that he then passed the vehicle and began a U-turn, believing that the vehicle would continue to attempt to flee, but as he turned around, he observed four subjects running north and west from the vehicle. When the officer approached the vehicle, he said he found a short-barreled AR-15-style rifle in the passenger seat with what appeared to be a loaded magazine.

The officer stated that after a search of the suspects, they were able to find and put two 14-year-old suspects in custody. One was female, and the other was male.

The officer found a large amount of small-denomination U.S. currency in the male’s pocket, alongside a vape and marijuana. The male was dressed in a black puffy jacket, black pants and wore a surgical mask.

Kent PD took the suspect vehicle for evidence, and Auburn PD took custody of the two suspects and the AR-15-style rifle for evidence.