On Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2024 at about 12:30 p.m., Kent Patrol Officers were dispatched to a downtown bank, just north of the Police Station, for a robbery in progress.
911 dispatch advised that the suspect had fled on foot towards the library.
Police said that suspect had entered the bank and attempted to rob a teller, but fled when she pushed the alarm. Upon arrival, Officers located a second victim who stated that the suspect had stepped up to the bank’s ATM, where the victim was conducting a transaction, and forcibly took $300 out of her account.
Kent Officers and supervisors, and Mayor Dana Ralph – who happened to be riding back from a meeting in the Chief’s vehicle – flooded the area to look for the suspect.
“You may have heard the helicopter circling overhead, and seen a K9 who responded to assist as well,” police said. “Officers at the scene quickly began to search and investigate and immediately began looking for any video to assist in a suspect description.”
Kent Officers Sloan and Dzuck were searching in the direction the suspect was last seen, and located him on 1st Ave S. running from two employees of a local business. The Officers arrested him without incident and recovered three $100 bills in the search incident to arrest.
In addition to the attempted bank robbery and robbery at the ATM, the suspect, a 27-year-old Kent man, had attempted to steal about $2,000 worth of luggage/contents from the business on 1st Ave S. This was witnessed by the two employees who gave chase, and he dropped the items just prior to being caught by KPD.
The suspect was positively identified, and then booked into the Regional Justice Center for 2 counts of Robbery 1 and 1 count of Theft 2.
“We are grateful that no one as injured during these multiple felony crimes,” police added. “Great teamwork by KPD coordinating the search for the suspect, evidence retrieval and witness/victim interviews. We also want to thank KCSO for the K9 assist, and the Kent residents who either chased the suspect and/or gave info on his last direction of travel.
“It takes a village. We love our village.”
