Robbery Attempt Triggers Southcenter Mall Lockdown

TUKWILA, WA — Four people tried to rob the Ben Bridge jewelry store inside the Southcenter Mall Tuesday afternoon. The four would-be robbers tried to smash a glass case at the store with a hammer, which sounded like gunfire. In turn, the mall was placed on lockdown with customers ushered to safety in the back rooms of stores.

The incident happened just before 2 p.m. Tuesday. The four suspects - three men and a woman, all in their 20s - entered the Ben Bridge store and started hammering at the glass case. They couldn't break it, according to Tukwila police, and fled after about a minute of trying.

The jewelry store is on the west side of the mall near the Nordstrom department store. Police said that the suspects fled south and exited through the Sears store. They were not immediately located.

There have been other lockdowns at the mall recently related to crime. On July 2, at least one shot was fired inside the mall in front of the Chipotle restaurant in the food court, according to witnesses. The shot was fired at 8:45 p.m. after a dispute between two people, police said.

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