Two men are now in custody after Seattle police say a daylight carjacking in Rainier Valley turned into a quick, two-stop crime spree. Investigators report the pair robbed a 65-year-old woman at gunpoint, stole her white Nissan, then used the car minutes later when a 33-year-old man was pistol-whipped and had power tools taken. The weapons turned out to be realistic-looking replica pistols, and officers moved in fast to track the suspects down. Both men are now booked into the King County Jail.
How police say it unfolded
At about 3:05 p.m. on April 1, officers responded to a report of a carjacking in the 3400 block of Rainier Avenue South. The 65-year-old woman, who told investigators she had arranged to meet an acquaintance to exchange property, said she was pulled from her white Nissan, pushed to the ground and watched as the pair drove off in her vehicle. While officers were on the way, 911 dispatchers received a report of a second armed robbery in the 3200 block of Claremont Avenue South. Investigators believe the stolen Nissan was used to travel there, where a 33-year-old man was pistol-whipped and had power tools stolen, according to the Seattle Police Department.
Arrests and what officers recovered
Officers found the suspects nearby a short time later. Police arrested a 29-year-old man in a grocery store parking lot in the 2700 block of Rainier Avenue South after an incident with store security, and a 43-year-old man was taken into custody while walking in the area. Officers recovered property reported stolen in the second robbery. Both men were booked into the King County Jail for investigation of robbery, as reported by KOMO.
Replica guns raised the stakes
Investigators determined both suspects used realistic-looking replica pistols during the crimes, a detail that can escalate encounters because look-alikes are hard to distinguish from functioning firearms at a glance. Police have asked anyone with information to call the Seattle Police Department Violent Crimes Tip Line at 206-233-5000; local outlets including KIRO have reported the arrests and the tip line. Detectives continue to investigate and have not released charging documents.
What this means for Rainier Avenue
The corridor has seen other armed robberies and carjackings in recent months, and local reporting has flagged recurring mid-day robberies along Rainier Avenue South. A similar armed carjacking in October 2025, highlighted in an October 2025 carjacking report, illustrates the pattern city police are watching. Anyone with tips or video that could help investigators can call the Violent Crimes Tip Line or submit information to SPD online.
