GPS Tracker Leads to Arrest of 17-Year-Old After Armed Walgreens Robbery in West Seattle

SEATTLE, WA — A 17-year-old male was arrested on Saturday afternoon following an armed robbery at a Walgreens pharmacy in West Seattle, thanks to a tracking device concealed in the stolen cash.

The incident occurred on October 18, 2025, at approximately 4:26 p.m. at the Walgreens located in the 6300 block of 35th Avenue Southwest. According to the Seattle Police Department, two male suspects entered the store, brandished a firearm, and demanded money from the cash registers.

Tracked Cash and Foot Chase

The suspects fled the scene with $1,523 in stolen cash. However, pharmacy staff had included a GPS tracking device within the money. Officers utilized the tracker to locate the suspects' movement. When police caught up with them, a foot chase ensued.

• During the pursuit, the 17-year-old suspect discarded a handgun into nearby bushes.
• A police K-9 team subsequently recovered the semi-automatic firearm from the foliage.
• Officers apprehended the teen and recovered the stolen $1,523 in cash.

Multi-Jurisdictional Suspects

Following the arrest, investigators learned from the Federal Way Police Department that the same suspects were believed to have robbed another Walgreens in Federal Way just an hour prior to the Seattle incident.

The 17-year-old suspect was booked into juvenile detention at the Judge Patricia H. Clark Children & Family Justice Center on multiple felony charges. The second suspect remains at large as detectives continue their investigation.