Crime

Straw hat robbery suspect arrested hours after Tri-Cities holdup

A robbery suspect in a straw hat was caught by Pasco police hours after the crime.
A robbery suspect in a straw hat was caught by Pasco police hours after the crime. Pasco police

A Pasco convenience store robbery suspect is behind bars less than seven hours after the holdup.

Pedro Medina, 24, of Pasco, walked into Mr. Qwik’s convenience store near the intersection of Court Street and 26th Avenue at 1:20 a.m. Thursday, Pasco police said in a Facebook post.

He pulled out a gun and demanded money from the clerk. He was dressed in a wide-brimmed straw hat, gray sweatshirt and gloves.

“Although the suspect went to great lengths to disguise his appearance during the robbery, evidence indicated a particular suspect,” Pasco police said.

They found Medina at 8 a.m. on the 1600 block of West Irving Street. He was booked into the Franklin County jail on suspicion of first-degree robbery and fourth-degree assault.

The next day Kennewick police caught up with another Pasco robbery suspect, Ramiro Josue Villa, 30, said Pasco police on Facebook.

Officers had been looking for Villa in connection with the robbery of the Metro T Mobile shot at 800 W. Lewis Street on April 23.

Pasco police used a dog to search for a cellphone store robbery suspect April 23.
Pasco police used a dog to search for a cellphone store robbery suspect April 23. Courtesy Pasco Police

Villa allegedly came into the store with a knife, demanded money and threatened to rape the clerk, said Pasco police on Facebook.

He grabbed a cellphone and left.

Villa was arrested Friday and booked into jail on investigation of first-degree robbery.

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Cameron Probert
Tri-City Herald
Cameron Probert covers breaking news for the Tri-City Herald, where he tries to answer reader questions about why police officers and firefighters are in your neighborhood. He studied communications at Washington State University.https://mycheckout.tri-cityherald.com/subscribe?ofrgp_id=394&g2i_or_o=Event&g2i_or_p=Reporter&cid=news_cta_0.99-1mo-15.99-on-article_202404
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