EVERETT — A man frequenting Snohomish County tanning salons is more interested in getting the green than the perfect shade of bronze.
Police believe the same man who first robbed a Mill Creek tanning salon two weeks ago may be responsible for as many as 20 other robberies, primarily at tanning salons in Snohomish and King counties.
His frantic string of crimes continued Thursday as the suspected tanning salon bandit branched out and held up two adult stores in Everett, along with a tanning business in Snohomish.
Lover’s on Broadway was robbed about 1 p.m. Thursday. Then about 8 p.m. a newly-opened tanning salon on Avenue D in Snohomish was held up. Less than two hours later The Love Zone on Evergreen Way in Everett was struck.
The man comes into businesses, pulls out a handgun and demands money, according to police.
“At first this guy was timid and shy, but now it’s escalating,” Lynnwood police spokeswoman Shannon Sessions said. “He’s become a lot more brazen and arrogant. That concerns us.”
Investigators believe the one-man crime wave started July 18 at a Mill Creek tanning salon. A man matching the robber’s description has hit businesses in Lynnwood, Marysville, Bothell, unincorporated Snohomish County, Seattle and cities in east King County.
Police believe he has committed multiple heists in a single day before Thursday’s flurry of criminal activity.
A tanning salon along Highway 9 outside of Snohomish was robbed July 22. The same day a salon near the Alderwood mall was hit. A tanning business near Everett Mall was robbed the next day.
Alina Castro, 18, thought the man who walked into The Sundeck in Everett July 23 was acting strange. He chatted with her and then pulled out a gun and demanded she empty the cash register.
Castro never expected to be held up at tanning salon.
“It’s ridiculous. I was nervous to go back to work the next day. It makes you more aware,” she said. “Hopefully they get him soon.”
Snohomish police on Monday had warned tanning businesses in town to be on alert after learning of the rash of robberies. They didn’t get a chance to warn employees at a new salon that opened its doors Wednesday. The store was robbed Thursday evening.
“We worry because his behavior is escalating,” Snohomish Police Chief John Turner said. “We want to get this guy.”
Turner advises employees to call 911 immediately if they see a suspicious person loitering in their businesses.
“There’s nothing wrong with calling 911. Just ask for an officer to drive by,” he said.
Mill Creek police Cmdr. Lance Davenport advises anyone who is the victim of a robbery not to argue with the suspect.
“Don’t fight them over money. Just be a good witness and call 911 as soon as you can,” Davenport said.
Police agencies around the area are working the cases together and sharing information, Everett police Sgt. Robert Goetz said.
The robber is described as a white man in his early 20s. He’s about 6 feet tall and weighs about 200 pounds with a small pot belly. He has short brown hair but may have bleached it blond. He also has been described as having a pale, round pudgy face and acne. The suspect also may have tattoos on his right and left shoulder and on his right forearm.
During Thursday’s heist at Lover’s in Everett he was wearing a baseball cap with a letter on the front of the hat, possibly a “W.” He also wore jean shorts and a black sleeveless T-shirt with a “Punisher” emblem on the front.
The man who robbed Love Zone was wearing a black and white zip-up hooded sweatshirt with red boxes in a pattern, jeans and black tennis shoes.
“While no one has been injured during these robberies it is extremely important that this guy is identified and arrested,” Goetz said. “He has terrorized several innocent victims, and it’s time for him taken off the streets.”
Anyone with information about the suspect or the robberies is asked to call 911 or the Snohomish County sheriff’s tip line at 425-388-3845 or the Everett police tip line at 425-257-8450.
Diana Hefley: 425-339-3463, hefley@heraldnet.com.
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