Four men in ski masks rob Burien cellphone store at gunpoint, deputies say

BURIEN, Wash. — A Burien cellphone store was robbed at gunpoint Tuesday afternoon – just as KIRO 7 was investigating a number of similar robberies that could be related.

Deputies said the robbery occurred at Metro PCS, located at 1st Avenue South and SW 158th Street, around 1 p.m.

The owner of Jay’s Mini Mart, located next to the cellphone store, told KIRO 7 she heard a commotion and went to investigate.

However, she then found herself staring at a gun while the store was being robbed.

“He turned around and he (had) the gun pointed to me,” the owner, who did not want to be identified, told KIRO 7’s Amy Clancy.

The Metro PCS was robbed by four men wearing ski masks, King County Sheriff’s Deputies said.

Detectives with the Sheriff’s Department said they are also investigating an armed robbery of a Metro PCS in White Center on Saturday by four armed men with their faces covered.

“Obviously our concern is somebody getting hurt, an innocent victim getting hurt or killed because of the actions of these suspects,” Sgt. Ryan Abbot said.

Deputies told KIRO 7 the robbers were targeting new iPhone 11s to sell online.

Abbott confirmed to KIRO 7 that the same four suspects may be responsible for as many as seven recent robberies in the South King County area, and possibly more crimes in Seattle.

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