By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
CHEHALIS – Three suspects were arrested last night at a Chehalis gas station just hours after a courier was assaulted and robbed of nearly a half million dollars worth of jewelry at a SeaTac hotel.
Courtesy photo by Rachelle Godsey
The victim was walking to his room when he was confronted by three masked men who took his bag of valuables, slashed a tire on his vehicle and then fled, according to the King County Sheriff’s Office. It was reported just after 6 p.m.
Just after 8 p.m., Washington State Patrol trooper spotted the suspect vehicle at the Arco station at the 13th Street and Interstate 5 interchange, according to authorities.
Chehalis resident Jennifer Moliga and her husband were on their way home from shopping and about to pull in to get fuel, but changed their minds.
“We get off the freeway and on the right side, at AM/PM, there were just cop cars everywhere,” she said. “We could see, we counted on one side six cop cars.”
Moliga said they seemed to be blockading the entrance and had two guys sitting in front of the store on the sidewalk.
King County sheriff’s Sgt. Cindi West said three suspects were arrested and transported back to King County to be booked for robbery.
The bag of jewelry is presumably inside the suspects’ vehicle, which was impounded and will be searched later today, West said.
Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter