A Burien Police deputy arrested a man early Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026 after witnessing a shoplifting incident at a downtown Burien gas station and discovering the suspect was wanted on a felony warrant, according to the Burien Police Department.
Police said the incident occurred around 4 a.m. when a deputy observed a man running out of a gas station with stolen merchandise.
“It turns out the male wasn’t running to get their steps, but instead because they had stolen merchandise,” police said in a statement.
Moments later, the gas station clerk ran outside and flagged down the deputy to report the theft.
The deputy chased the suspect and took him into custody, police said. The stolen items were recovered and returned to the gas station employee.
Police later determined the man also had an outstanding felony warrant from the Washington State Department of Corrections for assault in the second degree with a deadly weapon.
The man was booked into jail on suspicion of shoplifting and the outstanding felony warrant, police said.
Authorities did not release the suspect’s name or provide additional details about the investigation.
