Market Street Market employees talk with a Chehalis police officer today after the store is held up again.
This news story was updated at 3 p.m. and 4:28 p.m.
By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
CHEHALIS – A male armed with a sword robbed the Market Street Market in Chehalis this morning, the second such hold up at the business in a little more than a week.
“It was the same guy, he was wearing the same thing, the same clothes” owner Danny Kim said. “At least he should have changed his clothes.”
Kim said it happened about 8 o’clock this morning.
It was a similar situation as what occurred at the convenience store between 12th and 13th avenues on South Market Street in Chehalis about 10:30 p.m. on June 18, according to police.
That night, a male, described as possibly in his mid-20s, pointed a roughly two-foot long sword at two clerks and made off with an as-yet undisclosed amount of cash. His face was covered with a bandana.
Today, Kim said he was alone in the store when the robber came in.
“He just walk in with a sword, ‘give me money’,” Kim said. “I give him money, he was out. It was 30 seconds.”
Nobody was injured.
Kim wasn’t working when it happened before, but he saw the images captured by security video of the subject, leading him to think it was the same individual.
Clerk Don Thayer Jr. wasn’t working this morning, but came into the store to talk with his boss and police.
The 43-year-old Chehalis man said he was working when it happened the first time.
The guy came in at closing and sort of ducked down then showed his weapon, Thayer said.
Thayer thought about tackling him, but he kept pointing the sword at him, he said.
“Like I said, let him take what he wants and get out of here, he’ll eventually be caught,” Thayer said.
Kim, who has owned the business since, 2006 said his store hasn’t been robbed before.
“I’ve never heard of anybody around here getting robbed, except the bank,” Kim said.
Chehalis Police Department Deputy Chief Randy Kaut said this afternoon officers have a suspect in custody and are interviewing him now.
Jonathan A. Jamerson, 23, currently staying with a relative in Chehalis, was booked into the Lewis County Jail this afternoon for two counts of first-degree robbery, according to Kaut.
More later
Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter