BOTHELL, Wash. — Three Bothell businesses were targeted by burglars overnight, who rammed their vehicle into the entrance before stealing from inside, the Bothell Police Department (BPD) said Friday morning.
BPD says the first business, a Chevron station at 11611 NE 195th Street, was hit at 2:45 a.m. Friday. In the same parking lot, a Subway location at 11511 NE 195th Street was also rammed shortly after.
The Chevron clerk said a large cash box or safe was stolen, which shocked the station since it was under the counter, near the registers.
Around 3:48 a.m., another Chevron station at 18725 Bothell Way NE was rammed and burglarized. Employees at the gas station say an ATM was stolen.
"I came inside and I was like 'Oh, the ATM' and there was a bunch of broken glass," said Griselda Wilson, who works at one of the gas stations that was targeted.
Bothell PD said evidence indicates four men with masks in a bright red Dodge truck were responsible for all three of the robberies. Police said they believe the truck had been stolen.
Bothell police said other departments have been notified and the investigation is ongoing. Police said debris from the truck was left at the scene and that they will use surveillance video in the investigation.
"It may be expensive fixing, but everybody's okay," said Wilson, who added she was thankful nobody was working at the time of the crime.
This continues a recent trend of overnight attacks on convenience stores around western Washington, oftentimes on Thursday nights into early Friday mornings.
In June, three teens robbed a 7-Eleven in South Hill at gunpoint and then tried to flee on foot when eventually confronted by officers.
Five days after those suspects were apprehended, three more convenience stores were hit, including one in Burien where a suspect fired a shot at a clerk.
Back in May, 7-Eleven owners spoke to KING 5 about how the recent rash of brazen armed robberies at its locations has impacted business.
"It's been so rapidly rising that it has been kind of getting out of control," said Chander Shekher, president of the 7-Eleven Franchisee Owners' Association of the Northwest.
Shekher said not only is it harder to retain employees with so many armed robberies, but attracting customers to the stores overnight is also becoming increasingly difficult.
"People are scared to come to convenience store at night because they are not sure if criminal activity like robbery etc. are taking place there or not," he told KING 5.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.