Redmond police search for women accused of stealing liquor, assaulting 83-year-old worker at BevMo

REDMOND, Wash. — Redmond police said they’re searching for two women who are accused of stealing thousands of dollars’ worth of liquor at BevMo and one who assaulted an 83-year-old worker.

Investigators shared surveillance video capturing the incident inside BevMo on 148th Avenue Northeast last Monday at about 7:35 p.m.

Video shows three women, who detectives described to be in their late teens or early 20s, leaving the store carrying merchandise, while the last suspect shoves the 83-year-old worker to the ground before she dashes away.

Detectives said the worker was sent to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

There are no details around the worker’s current condition, as of Thursday.

A spokesperson for the Redmond Police Department said the suspects stole more than $3,500 worth of liquor.

The suspects are connected to another shoplifting incident in Kirkland, investigators said.

An hour earlier, detectives said the women stole $7,500 worth of clothes from Lululemon in Kirkland.

“This is actually really surprising. I’ve never heard about shoplifting in the Totem Lake area,” said Thais Ribeiro, a customer. “It’s just not okay. This is people’s hard worked money. Somebody’s company. Just don’t do it.”

“We’re seeing an increase in the trend of organized retail theft in the area where they come in, multiple suspects will come in and they just grab as much merchandise as possible and leave without paying,” said Jill Green, public information officer for the Redmond Police Department.

Officers were able to arrest the suspect, wearing a pink shirt, the same night in Lakewood, Redmond police said, while recovering most of the stolen merchandise inside a vehicle.

KIRO 7 News reached out to Lakewood police to get more details about the suspect and her arrest. We’re still waiting to hear back.

While Redmond detectives are asking for the public’s help in identifying the suspects, they’re urging witnesses to not take matters into their own hands.

“Sometimes when these people come in and they’re really trying to grab as much merchandise as they possibly can, they don’t really care who’s in the way. They will push anyone out of the way and it’s just not worth their safety. We don’t know if they have a weapon, and in this instance, there were none reported or seen, but you could never know what they have and it’s more important for their safety and to call police,” Green told KIRO 7 News.

Crime Stoppers is offering $1,000 to anyone who can provide information that will lead to an arrest. Anyone with information is asked to call the police department at 425-556-2500.

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