Police arrest 2 sex offenders Tuesday in Tukwila retail theft sting

The Tukwila Police Department’s Special Enforcement Unit (SEU) apprehended two sex offenders during a retail theft operation on Tuesday, June 4, 2024.

The SEU – formed in response to rising street crimes and organized retail theft (ORT) – includes veteran officers with diverse backgrounds. This unit partners with retailers to target repeat offenders involved in serious crimes, such as narcotic distribution, auto thefts, and burglaries.

During the operation, detectives were alerted to a frequent shoplifter at a business in the 6800 block of South 180th Street (map below). The suspect left in a vehicle and was surveilled by detectives. When the vehicle stopped at another business, detectives detained the suspect while a passenger fled on foot. A vigilant community member blocked the fleeing suspect with her vehicle, allowing detectives to apprehend him.

Both suspects, males aged 50 and 51 from Tukwila, had active warrants for failure to register as sex offenders. One suspect falsely claimed to have ingested fentanyl but was taken to the hospital for medical clearance before being booked. Both suspects are now in custody.

The SEU was created to provide proactive enforcement by targeting wanted criminals, addressing crime trends, and disrupting criminal activity, allowing patrol officers to focus on 911 calls and in-progress incidents.