Thurston deputies release video of two suspects robbing store near school
Thurston County Sheriff deputies have released video of two suspects robbing a grocery store and fleeing through a school field on March 15.
Deputies asked the public for help identifying the two men in the video that they posted on social media Tuesday. The men allegedly robbed Buddies Grocery and Deli at 6501 Martin Way East at around 5:40 p.m. while armed with a gun, The Olympian previous reported.
The men stole from a clerk and customer at the store before fleeing in a U-Haul truck. Deputies in pursuit later observed the truck sideswipe another vehicle, they reported.
Later, the truck drove through an unoccupied field at Lydia Hawk Elementary School and got stuck in mud, Lt. Cameron Simper said. The two men fled on foot, he said, but K9s were unable to track them after searching for nearly an hour.
In the video from the grocery store, one man in dark clothing can be seen entering the store, cutting in front of a customer at the register and quickly pointing what appears to be a gun at the clerk.
At one point, the man appears to turn the gun on the customer and takes an item from them before returning to the clerk.
While the individual with the gun takes money from the clerk, another person dressed in dark clothing runs behind the register and appears to take more items.
The two men eventually exit the store quickly, leaving the clerk and customer alone. No injuries were reported, Simper said.
Deputies have secured the men’s getaway truck, but they are still at large and may be armed, Simper said.
Anyone with more information about the two men can contact Detective Joe Hiles at 360-490-0319 or joseph.hiles@co.thurston.wa.us. The case number is 22-1340.
Tippers wishing to remain anonymous can contact CrimeStoppers at 800-222-TIPS.
This story was originally published March 30, 2022 at 1:37 PM.
