Teenage Girl Arrested After Robbing Downtown Spokane Oddities Shop and Pepper-Spraying Owner

SPOKANE, Wash. — A teenage girl is in custody after she allegedly shoplifted from a downtown Spokane store and attacked the shop owner with pepper spray when confronted.

The incident occurred on Wednesday afternoon at Petunia and Loomis, a well-known oddities and antique shop located in the heart of downtown Spokane. According to police and store representatives, the teenage suspect entered the shop and attempted to leave without paying for a beanie. When the shop owner noticed the theft, he followed the girl outside the store to confront her and demand the return of the stolen item.

Rather than returning the merchandise, the teenager pulled out a canister of pepper spray and sprayed the owner directly in the face. She then fled the scene on foot, leaving the owner suffering from the chemical irritant.

Spokane Police Department officers responded quickly to the scene of the robbery. Armed with a description of the suspect, officers searched the surrounding area and successfully located the teenage girl a short distance away. She was arrested without further incident and faces charges of robbery and assault.

The owner of Petunia and Loomis was treated at the scene for exposure to the pepper spray. The local business community has expressed support for the shop, which is popular for its eclectic collection of taxidermy, vintage glassware, and wet specimens. The incident highlights the growing safety concerns and confrontational situations that downtown business owners face while trying to protect their establishments from retail theft.