Olympia convenience store heist involved an unusual butane lighter, police say
A 23-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of armed robbery at an area convenience store overnight Friday, according to Olympia police.
About 1 a.m. Friday, police were dispatched to the store in the 3200 block of Pacific Avenue Southeast.
Once there, police spoke with the employee. He said the suspect had entered the store, pointed what he believed was a gun at him and demanded money from the cash register, police Lt. Paul Lower said Tuesday.
The employee handed over some money and the man fled from the store. The victim provided a description of the suspect, and Lower said he was later spotted by police at the intersection of Martin Way East and Pattison Street, which is about half a mile from the store.
He was taken into custody in the area, Lower said. Did police find a gun? Yes and no. What they found was a butane lighter in the shape of a handgun, he said.
“If you were unfamiliar with handguns, you wouldn’t know the difference,” said Lower about how realistic the lighter appeared to be.
Police also recovered roughly $1,000 from the suspect, finding cash in his shoes and bulging from his hip pockets, Lower said.
The man was booked on suspicion of armed robbery while armed with a deadly weapon and obstructing law enforcement, Thurston County jail information shows.
This story was originally published February 17, 2026 at 11:46 AM.
