Lynnwood Police arrested a 49-year-old Seattle man, who is suspected of consistently breaking into cash registers at department stores all over the Puget Sound area.

The thief would brazenly approach unattended cash registers and pry them open with a tool then flee the area. In the past month, he hit at least five different department stores, and more than once in Lynnwood. Law enforcement agencies from around the region received similar reports from area loss prevention agents and through surveillance and investigations determined it was the same person.

Lynnwood Police detectives had actively been looking for this suspect when just before 4 p.m. April 9 the thief struck again at Macy’s in Lynnwood. An alert employee noticed a man prying on a cash register and called authorities.

The man took off and fled in his truck. Vigilant witnesses got his license plate and description of the truck and Lynnwood Police stopped him just before he could get on the freeway.

The suspect was arrested without incident and booked into the Snohomish County Jail for the felony charge of Organized Retail Theft (ORT). The suspect has been cooperative in the investigation and Lynnwood Police are continuing to work with other agencies regarding these crimes and others that may be connected.

If you have any information about this crime call Crime Stoppers of Puget Sound at 1-800-222-TIPS or TEXT by entering the number 274637 (spells Crimes) on the “To” Line, then type Tip486 & what you want to say in the Message Box, after that hit the OK or SEND button. Or email https://www.crimestoppers.com/ and send in your anonymous crime tip. All tips are confidential and you could earn cash reward of up to $1000.