Tacoma police arrest man suspected in multiple armed robberies at businesses
Tacoma police on Tuesday arrested a 31-year-old man wanted for investigation of two armed robberies in the city. Police said they are looking into his involvement in more than a dozen other robberies.
The man was arrested following an early morning hit-and-run collision in the 700 block of Tacoma Avenue, according to a tweet from Tacoma Police Department. Police did not disclose details of that incident.
Officers recognized the man as a suspect wanted for robberies in Tacoma while arresting him for the hit and run at about 3:05 a.m., police said in a news release.
Police booked the man into Pierce County Jail on suspicion of two counts of first-degree robbery.
Officers had probable cause to arrest the man for an armed robbery that occurred April 13 at a Walgreens at 4315 6th Avenue. The other robbery he is a suspect in occurred March 3 at an Ace Hardware at 2012 S. 12th St.
Police said the suspect robbed both stores at gunpoint.
Reports of armed robberies have been on the rise so far this year in Tacoma. According to a citywide weekly briefing breaking down crime stats in the city, Tacoma experienced a 135 percent increase in robberies from Jan. 1 to April 10 compared to the same time period last year.
According to the briefing, 287 robberies were reported in that time period this year. Last year, 122 robberies had been reported.
This story was originally published April 26, 2022 at 2:41 PM.
