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Auburn police believe the Fall City gun shop suspects are connected to a series of crimes

Auburn police believe the Fall City gun shop suspects are connected to a series of crimes

After a string of robberies in Auburn, police believe three of the suspects were also involved in a recent attempted burglary at a Fall City Weapon Shop.

Police said on Dec. 4 that they had several businesses hit by a group of suspects, and the youngest, they had reason to believe, was 10 years old.

Kolby Crossley of the Auburn Police Department said the group first hit a cannabis store in Maple Valley and tried to ram a vehicle through the front door. The suspects were unsuccessful and then moved on to their second target, which was in Auburn.

Crossley said they “trashed” another cannabis store, but did not rob the business. About an hour later, Crossley said the four suspects robbed a Chevron in Auburn just before 4:00 a.m. and held the employee at knifepoint. After that, the suspects robbed a 7-Eleven in Des Moines and an Arco in Kent.

“We believe there is a connection between the three suspects in Fall City who were also involved in the Dec. 4 robberies,” Crossley said. “Through the video, we were able to connect all the dots and we believe that someone who appears to be 10 years old was actively involved in this robbery.”

MORE I Juveniles face charges after high-speed chase, attempted burglary of Fall City gun store

In the Fall City case, a 20-year-old man is accused of luring a group of youths, including a pair of 12-year-olds, to break into a gun store.

According to court documents, an on-duty King County sheriff’s deputy was patrolling the streets of Fall City when he noticed two cars parked at an odd angle to the side of the business. In addition, the deputy noted that the car doors were open.

As that deputy turned the corner, he noted that he then observed five people standing on top of a concrete barrier in front of the store, appearing to be actively trying to break into the business. At that point, prosecutors said the suspects ran over one of the nearby vehicles and then led deputies on a high-speed chase.

In charges filed Tuesday, prosecutors allege Kristopher Holmes, 20, attempted to elude a pursuing police vehicle, possession of a stolen vehicle and conspiracy to commit second-degree burglary.

The other four suspects, all juveniles, are charged with additional crimes. According to prosecutors, each young suspect is charged through traditional prosecution, not embezzlement. These are crimes charged in juvenile court, and prosecutors noted that state law does not allow these specific crimes to be transferred to adult court.

They said the 17-year-old suspect, the 16-year-old suspect and one of the 12-year-old suspects were each charged with taking a motor vehicle without permission in the second degree, conspiracy to commit robbery in the second. degree and obstructing a law enforcement officer.