PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Law enforcement is investigating multiple robberies in Vancouver that may have been committed by the same man, officials said.
On Thursday, the Clark County Sheriff’s Office said two robberies happened back-to-back with the suspect having a similar description in each case. One happened at 12:33 p.m. when the suspect — whose identity is unknown — robbed a Starbucks inside of a Safeway at 13023 NE Highway 99. Then at 2:18 p.m., another store was robbed, the Walgreens at 8511 NE 162nd Ave.
In each case, the suspect is described as a white man in his 40s, over 6 feet tall, and roughly 200 pounds. For both of the robberies, he was said to be wearing a light blue hoodie with black writing, dark blue sweatpants, black shoes, a black stocking cap, and a black “COVID-style mask,” according to a release from the sheriff’s office.
Each of the robberies were also committed at knifepoint, with the suspect said to be armed with a long knife akin to a fillet or long paring knife. After both of the robberies, the suspect was said to have fled on foot and possibly gotten into a nearby vehicle to get away.
During the Safeway robbery, an employee was knocked to the ground by the suspect as he was fleeing. The person was taken to a local hospital for evaluation. The sheriff’s office said the ordeal at the Safeway activated a “heavy police presence,” including deputies conducting searches using K9 units and an unmanned aircraft system.
Similarly, the area around the Walgreens was also searched amid a “heavy police presence,” but no suspect was located.
What’s more, that same Safeway was robbed on Monday by an individual who had a similar physical description as the more recent incidents. The suspect was described as a white man, about 6 feet tall, medium build, wearing a dark-colored sweater, sweatpants, a gray beanie and a “black COVID-style mask” once again.
The investigation is currently ongoing, officials said.
