Update for Feb. 19
A 49-year-old man suspected in six gas station robberies in early 2013 is behind bars.

Seattle Police and the King County Sheriff's Office launched a joint investigation into the six convenience store robberies that stretched from the southern border of West Seattle into White Center and Burien where the suspect entered with face coverage and demanded cash while brandishing a black handgun.

The suspect was arrested at his home on Feb. 14 by King County deputies after a robbery in West Seattle.

Det. Mark Jamieson with the Seattle Police Department explains:

"Beginning in January, a suspect described as a black male wearing various coats and a bandana covering his face and armed with a handgun, robbed four businesses in the White Center area (two in Burien technically) and two near the Roxbury line in Seattle.

"Detectives developed information about a possible suspect vehicle and eventually identified the suspect. He was arrested last week and detectives served a search warrant on his residence, where several items of clothing worn in the robberies were recovered. The suspect was booked into the King County Jail and charged with four counts of robbery."

Sgt. Cindi West with the King County Sheriff's Office provided a few more details on the arrest, stating undercover KCSO detectives staking out an area convenience store saw a vehicle and person driving that potentially matched their suspect. The man did not enter the store on that occasion, but detectives began surveillance on the suspect and his vehicle.

On the day of the arrest, West said, detectives saw their suspect leaving his home and began to tail him, but lost him after the driver began driving erratically (as they did not want to match his speed and tactics to blow their cover).

Minutes later, the call came over the radio that a convenience store at the corner of 35th and Roxbury had just been held up. Based on descriptions given by the victims, detectives obtained a search warrant for their suspect's home and served it once he got back to the residence.

West said clothing used in the most recent and prior burglaries were found inside the home.

This remains an active and on-going Seattle and King County robbery investigation.

Original post on Feb. 5
Deputies ask for help identifying suspect in White Center/Burien store robberies
The King County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s help in identifying a man suspected in four convenience store robberies in White Center and Burien from Jan. 11 to Feb. 1.

KCSO Deputy Charlie Akers describes the suspect as follows:
“He has been armed with a black handgun and demands cash from the register. He is described as a black male between 35-40 years old with a long narrow face and a deep voice.”

Akers said the suspect should be considered armed and dangerous, and asks anyone with information to contact the King County Sheriff’s Office at (206) 296-3311.

A PDF flyer with information on the suspect is attached at the top of the story.