Cops: Man Tried to Pull Bikini Barista From Drive-Thru

Unnamed suspect to be charged with attempted kidnapping, say police in Auburn, Washington
By Arden Dier,  Newser Staff
Posted Jan 18, 2023 11:08 AM CST

A bikini barista was working alone at a drive-thru coffee shop in Washington state around 5am Monday when a pickup truck driver tried to abduct her through the drive-thru window, police say. Surveillance video shows a driver at Beankini Espresso in Auburn grabbing the barista's arm with his left hand while reaching out with a zip tie in his right hand, per KIRO. Police said the man, who was driving a Chevrolet Silverado and appeared to have a "Chevrolet" tattoo on his left forearm, "attempted to drag the victim through the window using a looped [zip tie] device," per NBC News. The barista was able to pull away and close the window, dropping the cash she was handing back to him, before the man drove off, per KREM.

Police announced Tuesday that an unnamed suspect was arrested after "overwhelming support from the community." The surveillance video shared by police quickly went viral, racking up more than 2 million views, per the Washington Post. "Thanks to a number of tips, we were able to locate the suspect at his home in Auburn," police said. "We were able to do a quick search of his pickup and found evidence tying him to the scene," police spokesperson Kolby Crossley said, per USA Today, adding more information will be released in the coming days.

Police say the man will be booked for attempted kidnapping but could face additional charges. Crossley applauded the barista for doing "an awesome job of protecting herself and fighting this person off," per KIRO. He noted baristas "are in vulnerable positions because they're usually controlling those spots by themselves at early hours in the morning when it's dark outside." (More Washington state stories.)

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