A man suspected of robbing a Kent coffee stand Sunday morning was arrested in Auburn after police used Flock Safety cameras to track his car, according to the Kent Police Department.
The robbery was reported around 6:45 a.m. at an espresso stand in the 1700 block of Central Avenue South.
Officers met with the victim, a 29-year-old Milton woman, who said a man ordered a coffee, then pulled out a black gun and demanded money.
She told police she feared he would shoot her before he drove away in a white car with cash from the register.
Officers reviewed surveillance footage from the stand and identified the suspect’s license plate.
Using the Flock Safety camera network, investigators saw the vehicle traveling south toward Auburn.
The car was registered to a four-plex apartment complex there, and Auburn police officers went to check the address.
Auburn officers found the vehicle parked on the lawn of the registered owner’s residence and began surveillance. Kent police units joined them soon after.
By 8:52 a.m., officers saw a man matching the suspect’s description inside one of the apartments.
Police established a perimeter around the unit, concerned the situation could turn into a hostage standoff since the suspect had been seen armed earlier.
SWAT personnel and specialized gear were requested.
Officers were able to contact residents inside the suspect’s unit, who evacuated safely — except for a 16-month-old child who was accidentally left behind.
Around the same time, a woman called 911 to report that her husband in a neighboring apartment said the suspect had entered their unit and was hiding in their closet.
Police quickly retrieved the sleeping child and evacuated the neighboring family.
Officers then used a loudspeaker to urge the suspect to surrender.
After several minutes, the man opened the door holding a steak knife to his own throat.
Officers from Auburn Police used de-escalation techniques, persuading him to drop the knife. He was arrested without further incident.
Kent detectives interviewed the 50-year-old Auburn man and later booked him into jail for investigation of first-degree robbery.
Police said the coordination between Kent and Auburn officers and the use of technology played a crucial role in the safe resolution of the incident.
No one was injured.
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