A Vancouver man was arrested Friday after a string of similar armed robberies going back to April, the Clark County Sheriff’s Office said in a press release
Shawn Short, 56, faces first degree robbery charges in connection to a robbery Friday and four more first degree robbery and second degree assault charges from incidents in April and May at a Starbucks, Target and Walgreens stores.
On April 8, a man entered the Starbucks inside Safeway at 13023 N.E. Highway 99 and brandished a large knife at employees, demanding money, which employees gave to him before he left on foot, a press release from the sheriff’s office said. The suspect was described as a white male with blue eyes wearing a black surgical-style mask, the press release said.
On April 9, the Vancouver Police Department investigated a similar robbery at the Target store at 16200 S.E. Mill Plain Blvd., with a man of the same description, the sheriff’s office release stated.
Another robbery with similar circumstances occurred April 11 at the same Starbucks, when a man approached the register and displayed a knife. An employee at the store witnessed the robbery and attempted to intervene. The man grabbed them by the shoulders and pushed them to the ground, the press release said. The witness hit their head on a metal rail when they were shoved to the ground. Witnesses identified the person as the same man who robbed them a week prior.
Video surveillance from a nearby business showed the man left on foot and went behind the store. A short time later, a white 2003-2005 Honda Pilot was seen leaving the area of the adjoining property, according to the press release.
Later on April 11, Walgreens at 8511 N.E. 162nd Ave., also reported a robbery at knifepoint. The suspect’s description, including a black surgical-style mask, matched the previous robberies, the press release said.
The sheriff’s office and detectives with the Vancouver Police Department began sharing information about the robberies and began working on the cases jointly, the sheriff’s office said.
The Walgreens on Northeast 162nd Avenue was robbed again May 24 by a man matching the previous robberies, the press release stated.
On Friday, Vancouver Police officers were dispatched to multiple armed robberies. With the assistance of a sheriff’s office detective, officers located a man matching the description of the robber leaving the area driving a white Honda Pilot. The vehicle was stopped, and the driver was detained. He was identified as Short and the Honda Pilot was seized for a search warrant.
The sheriff’s office is continuing to investigate.
