Spokane: Arrest Made After Downtown Shoplifting Incident Turns Into Robbery
Washingtoner/10315163

~ Spokane Police responded to a reported theft at a business on North Howard Street on January 20th at approximately 3:45pm. According to the store owner, he saw a young female enter the store, quickly circle around, and then leave with a stolen beanie while he was working the register. When the victim went outside to confront the suspect and ask for the item back, he was assaulted with pepper spray.

Upon arrival, officers observed that the store owner was showing signs of exposure to pepper spray or a similar chemical irritant. He informed them that during the incident, he was also confronted by two males. However, due to the multiple people near the suspect, he was unsure who had sprayed him. In response to this assault and the aggressive behavior of those with the female suspect, the victim retreated back into his store and locked the front door.

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Officers quickly arrived at the scene and interviewed several witnesses. They also obtained a photo of individuals near the store and began searching for them in Downtown Spokane. Shortly after, they located and detained all parties involved in the incident. The stolen beanie was also recovered.

The suspect responsible for spraying pepper spray on the victim was identified as a 16-year-old female. She was taken into custody for 1st Degree Robbery and 3rd Degree Theft charges. The investigation is ongoing as officers continue to gather information about this incident.

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