By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
An attempted robbery at a Centralia convenience store yesterday evening failed when the would-be thief realized the clerk was not alone.
Police called about 6:15 p.m. to the Pearl Street Market on the 2300 block of North Pearl Street were told the man opened up a knife and demanded money.
The 28-year-old clerk went running backwards screaming for her boss and the startled subject fled, according to the Centralia Police Department.
The owner had been in the back of the store, Sgt. Kurt Reichert said.
Officers were told the individual ran towards Carson Street so one patrol car parked on a wooden bridge near Carson, while other law enforcement officers surrounded a large area, Reichert said.
Centralia police dog Lobo began a track and it wasn’t long before the dog pulled the suspect from the bushes some 50 feet from the patrol car, he said.
Jason M. Keele, 46, from Centralia, was arrested for attempted robbery, according to police. He was taken to be checked for the dog bite and booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to Reichert.
“We probably had the guy in custody within an hour,” he said. “Probably less than an hour, and we’re thankful for the assistance from the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office and the Washington State Patrol.”