Man jailed in King County 76 times arrested for robbery at Pike Place business

SEATTLE - A repeat offender who targeted a Pike Place Market business during the pandemic has officially been charged with second-degree robbery. 

According to the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, a 56-year-old man allegedly pulled money bags from the fruit and produce stand’s safe while an employee stepped away. He tried to run away with the money but was grabbed by the employee, who called a nearby security guard, according to the Prosecuting Attorney's Office.

The man is charged with trying to steal more than $8,000. He also hit the fruit business employee in the head, but the employee said he didn’t need medical attention, according to investigators.

"While at first blush it may appear as if the defendant has remained mostly out of trouble since his last felony conviction in 2016, he was in fact given a prison-based DOSA," the deputy prosecuting attorney handling this case wrote in charging documents. "He was sentenced to 27 months in prison and another 27 months on community custody, leaving very little time in the community."

DOSA is a Drug Offender Sentencing Alternative, designed to provide chemical dependency treatment and community supervision, in lieu of prison time, for people who commit a drug crime or another crime that is related to a substance use disorder.

The man charged in the Pike Place market attempted robbery has multiple pending harassment charges out of Everett Municipal Court.

According to King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, the suspect has been booked into King County Jail 76 times since 1986.