15-year-old suspect arrested in series of armed smoke shop robberies across Tacoma

TACOMA, Wash. — A 15-year-old boy has been arrested in connection to a series of armed robberies at smoke shops in Tacoma last month, according to the Tacoma Police Department.

The teenager is one of two suspects accused of robbing five different smoke shops within Tacoma between Feb. 14 and Feb. 20. They also attempted to rob a victim at an ATM during that timeframe.

In two of these incidents, at least one of the suspects allegedly hit employees on the head with the butt of a rifle, causing one victim to sustain “serious injuries.”

Video surveillance also showed the suspects getting out of a grey SUV at a Tacoma apartment complex just before one of the robberies, according to police.

The same suspects are linked to robberies in Pierce County, SeaTac and Bellevue.

After sharing images of the suspects with Crime Stoppers, police received a tip from a community member that led police to identify one of the suspects as a 15-year-old boy from Tacoma.

He was arrested at a home in Tacoma on Tuesday and was booked into Remann Hall for seven counts of first-degree robbery.

TPD detectives are continuing to investigate these incidents. Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.

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