Masked gunmen rob 2 Seattle gas stations hours apart, SPD believes crimes are connected

The Seattle Police Department (SPD) is investigating two armed robberies in North and West Seattle on Monday and Tuesday, which are believed to be in connection with one another.

“At this point, preliminary information suggests that the robberies are connected with the same suspects involved in both of them,” SPD Detective Eric Muñoz told KIRO Newsradio.

The first robbery occurred at approximately 7:50 p.m., at a North Seattle gas station in the 7300 block of Aurora Avenue N., SPD announced.

Three masked men rob North Seattle gas station at gunpoint

When patrol officers arrived, they determined three men dressed in black clothing and wearing masks and gloves had robbed the gas station clerk at gunpoint.

“With armed robberies, sometimes they are very unpredictable, and the fear is always if they are using weapons, that they use those. We’ve had a number of cases where robberies involved shootings, and we just don’t want that,” Muñoz said. “That’s a heightened risk that we face when looking for these suspects; they are armed. Any suspect who is armed and committing robberies is a potential volatile situation.”

The suspects stole the victim’s phone, $700 cash from the register, and tobacco products.

The suspects fled the scene in a dark-colored sedan before officers could arrive. SPD searched the immediate area but could not find them, and no arrests were made.

Officers processed the scene and collected evidence. The gas station clerk did not report any injuries.

“In both of these incidents, the suspects fled the scene in a vehicle before officers arrived,” Muñoz said. “The vehicle appears to be different, which is not uncommon. We have seen suspects use drop locations for vehicles, and oftentimes, they’ll switch out vehicles when they are committing these robberies.”

Muñoz noted that the West Seattle robbery’s stolen vehicle came from Kent, but SPD does not have any information on the stolen vehicle used in the North Seattle robbery.

West Seattle gas station robbery occurred roughly 6 hours after first armed robbery

The second gas station robbery occurred hours later in West Seattle. At approximately 2:20 a.m. in the 4500 block of Fauntleroy Way Southwest, officers responded to reports of another armed robbery.

At the scene, SPD determined that four masked men, driving a stolen Hyundai Sonata, had robbed a gas station clerk at gunpoint. The suspects stole between $500 and $600 in cash.

The suspects fled the scene in the stolen vehicle before officers could arrive. SPD searched the area but could not locate the suspects, and no arrests were made.

Officers collected evidence and processed the scene. The gas station clerk did not report any injuries.

Muñoz explained how it is not uncommon for a “robbery crew” to carry out multiple robberies in one night, or even over the span of a few days.

“It is quite common. Every few months, at least a few times a year, we’ll get robbery crews that start hitting gas stations or various small businesses,” Muñoz said. “For example, I think maybe a year or so ago, we did arrest a robbery crew. They committed over 80 robberies in Seattle and South King County. They hit multiple areas in a small window of time. In this instance, it was about six or so hours spread, where they committed both robberies.”

Anyone with information is urged to call the SPD violent crimes tip line at (206) 233-5000. Anonymous tips are also accepted. Detectives in the Robbery Unit have been assigned to both cases.

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