Undercover Deputies Capture Serial Bank Robbery Suspect

PUYALLUP, WA — An undercover operation helped deputies capture a suspect who is accused of robbing up to ten banks across Puget Sound.

Deputies say they caught the suspect Tuesday after he robbed two banks back-to-back. The spree started at one p.m. with a robbery at a bank in the 700 block of Shaw Rd in Puyallup.

After the first robbery, the suspect headed west, hitting a second bank in the 11500 block of Canyon Road E about 90 minutes after the first robbery.

The Sheriff's Department said it was familiar with the suspect's getaway car because he had used it in several other robberies, so it dispatched undercover officers to search for the suspect’s vehicle in the South Hill area. Shortly after the second robbery a deputy spotted the vehicle, and with the assistance of a Puyallup Police officer, pulled his car over and took the suspect into custody.

Once in custody, officers say the man admitted to robbing 10 banks in total, four in King County and six in Pierce County. He had been under investigation by the Sheriff's Department, as well as the Auburn, Des Moines and Milton Police Departments.