Trio of gas station robbery suspects arrested | Teen charged as adult

The King County Sheriff’s Office announced it had arrested three suspects in the robberies of several convenience stores over the past two weeks.

By Greg Allmain • August 11, 2011 5:26 pm
This Chevron station at South 348th Street and Pacific Highway South was the first of two stations robbed early morning July 25 in Federal Way.
This Chevron station at South 348th Street and Pacific Highway South was the first of two stations robbed early morning July 25 in Federal Way.

The King County Sheriff’s Office announced the arrest of three suspects in a string of armed robberies at local convenience stores over the past two weeks.

The trio is suspected of robbing two Chevron gas stations on July 25 in Federal Way. The trio also robbed two gas stations in Maple Valley, and hit single locations in Covington, Bothell and Tukwila.

Christopher Manning, 24, is charged with six counts of first-degree robbery, according to a King County Prosecutor’s Office spokesman. Bao Quoc Ly, 23, is charged with two counts of first-degree robbery. Joseph Campbell, 16, is being charged as an adult with six counts of first-degree robbery for his involvement. The three suspects are all Auburn residents who remain in jail with bail set at $300,000. Arraignment is scheduled for 9 a.m. Aug. 25 at the Regional Justice Center in Kent.

The three suspects were arrested without incident on Aug. 9, with a search warrant served for one of suspect’s apartments in Auburn, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

Each robbery consisted of a three-man crew, with each crew member assigned to a specific task, according to charging papers. One robber would watch the door, another robber would control the store clerk with commands and a handgun, and a third robber would grab cash, cigarettes and other merchandise.

The trio’s clothing was consistent throughout the robberies, according to charging papers. In two of the robberies, an armed suspect would show the store clerk the bullets from his weapon, then rack the gun to demonstrate that the gun was real.

The Sheriff’s Office credits media exposure for helping detectives zero in on the three suspects. A $1,000 reward offered by CrimeStoppers is also credited with helping local authorities track the men down. According to charging papers, police received tips describing Bao Quoc Ly as a suspect who had been bragging about his involvement in the crimes.

Sheriff Sue Rahr said this case was an example of multiple jurisdictions and agencies working together to get the job done.

“This investigation was an excellent example of multi-jurisdictional investigation,” Rahr said in a news release. “I especially want to thank the Auburn Police Department for their significant help, even though the suspects didn’t commit a robbery in their city. Everybody worked together to put some very dangerous people in jail.”