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Lakewood Police Search For Best Buy Robbery Suspect

LAKEWOOD, Colo. (CBS4) - Police in Lakewood are hoping to catch a man who robbed a Best Buy store and sprayed one of the employees with pepper spray.

It happened Wednesday about 3:30 p.m. at the Best Buy store at 384 S. Wadsworth Blvd.

The suspect spent some time in the store and then ran out the front doors with some electronic equipment he had not paid for.

Best Buy Robbery Suspect
Police in Lakewood are hoping to catch this suspect who robbed a Best Buy and sprayed an employee with pepper spray (credit: Lakewood Police)

A loss prevention officer tried to stop the man but that's when the suspect sprayed the employee with what is believed to be pepper spray.

During the confrontation the employee was able to retrieve at least one piece of electronic equipment. It is possible the suspect had stolen additional items from the store in the satchel he carried.

"Someone that's going to do something like that, whether it's pepper spray or any other weapon for that matter, shows us that they've most likely done it before," said Steve Davis from the Lakewood Police Department.

Best Buy Robbery Suspect
Police in Lakewood are hoping to catch this suspect who robbed a Best Buy and sprayed an employee with pepper spray (credit: Lakewood Police)

The white or Hispanic man is described as being in his mid-20s, about 5-foot-10 to 5-foot-11, weighing approximately 170 pounds.

He was carrying a black shoulder-slung satchel and was wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt, gray beanie cap, black jeans and black and white shoes.

Best Buy Robbery Suspect
Police in Lakewood are hoping to catch this suspect who robbed a Best Buy and sprayed an employee with pepper spray (credit: Lakewood Police)

Last month two men used pepper spray against employees and customers while robbing a Verizon store in Jefferson County.

No arrests have been made in that case.

"I think the detectives will be comparing notes, certainly to see similarities, maybe if they can get to the point to see if it's the same person," said Davis.

Surveillance cameras at the store captured several images of the suspect. Detectives are asking anyone who may have information about the suspect to call Lakewood Police Detective Bryan Feik at 303-987-7111.

"We'd like to find him before it escalates to a knife or a gun or who knows what's next," said Davis.

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