Restaurant employee on Olympia’s east side robbed at gunpoint Wednesday, police say
A man robbed an employee at gunpoint at Silvers Saloon on Olympia’s east side Wednesday morning, Olympia police say.
Initial reports describe a scenario and suspect similar to a recent robbery at a nearby doughnut shop.
Reports from people at the scene say a man entered the restaurant on the 2700 block of Pacific Avenue Southeast about 6 a.m. Wednesday. He confronted the employee with a handgun, demanded money, and the employee complied, Lt. Paul Lower told The Olympian.
The suspect ran out the restaurant’s front door. Officers set up a perimeter and used a K9 to track the man, but lost the track a couple blocks away and didn’t locate him, Lower said.
Detectives were interviewing witnesses and asking area businesses for video surveillance footage Wednesday, Lower told The Olympian. Lacey Police and Thurston County Sheriff’s Office also responded to the scene.
A robbery Sunday morning at Twister Donuts, about ½ mile away, shows a similar pattern. In that robbery, police believe the suspect got into a vehicle parked nearby, where they found fresh tire marks.
The victim at Silvers Saloon described a suspect that largely aligns with the description of the Twister Donuts robbery suspect: A man wearing a gray hoodie with the hood over his head, a ski mask, and dark pants. He was described as about 5-foot-4.
“There are some similarities here we are clearly investigating, and we certainly could use the help of the public if they have information,” Lower said.
Anyone with information is asked to call Olympia police at 360-754-8300.
This story was originally published March 4, 2020 at 9:15 AM.
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