Suspect charged with trying to rob a Tacoma Girl Scout selling cookies

 

Roman Mira video in court



TACOMA -- The suspect accused of trying to rob a Girl Scout and her mother outside the Fred Meyer at 7250 Pacific Ave on March 10 appeared in court for the first time today.

Prosecutor Mark Lindquist arraigned Roman Anthony Mira on one count of attempted Robbery in the second degree.  Mira was located and arrested Tuesday by Tacoma Police Robbery Unit detectives with assistance from Thurston County Sheriff’s deputies. Police say a tip to Crime Stoppers of Tacoma-Pierce County helped locate the 23-year-old.

“Trying to rob a Girl Scout selling cookies would be among the worst ideas we’ve seen this year,” said Lindquist.

Police say 10-year-old Haliyah DuBois walked into the Fred Meyer and told a Tacoma Police Officer that she and her mother were selling Girl Scout cookies outside the store when two men tried to rob them.  The officer went outside to investigate. Haliyah's mom, Jenny DuBois, was at the table where they were selling cookies. She was breathing heavily and crying and confirmed that two men tried to rob them.

DuBois told the officer she first saw the two men standing near a Bank of America. After a few minutes, they approached her and her daughter.  Court documents show Mira told her, “Give me the money and you and your daughter won’t be hurt, no one will get hurt.”

Dubois realized she was being robbed and said, "Why are you doing this to a Girl Scout?"  She told them she had no money and instructed her daughter to go inside the store.  The men then turned and ran away. Police released a surveillance image of the two of them and say Mira is pictured on the right.  Prosecutors say 

Dubois picked him out of a photo montage as the person who did the talking during the attempted robbery.

Bail was set at $100,000.00.

A week later, Haliyah was back at the store selling cookies with support from the community.  “

I want to thank everyone,” she said.  “And I feel really thankful for everyone coming out here.”

The second suspect remains unknown.  “We’ve not been able to identify the second suspect yet, so if people do recognize who Roman Mira may have been hanging out with from the photograph, please call in those tips,” said Officer Loretta Cool.

You can remain anonymous and receive a reward of up to $1,000 if your tip leads to an arrest in the case. Call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS or use the P3 Tips App on your smart phone.