Lakewood Police Track Down Suspects In Attempted Cologne Thefts
LAKEWOOD, Colo. (CBS4)- Police in Lakewood have arrested two people who they had considered "desperate" and "dangerous" in a couple of attempted cologne robberies.
According to Steve Davis with Lakewood police, Brandon Hardin, 25, and Jessica Baldwin, 23, were taken into custody Thursday morning near Colorado Avenue and Sheridan Boulevard.
Hardin and Baldwin are accused of using knives to threaten employees. It's happened at two stores in Lakewood -- a RiteAid and Nordstrom Rack.
Detectives said the crimes were unusual because the would-be thieves didn't get away with anything but they used a weapon to threaten employees.
The suspects tried stealing two bottles of cologne from Nordstrom Rack in February. When they were confronted by a store employee the suspects threatened him with a knife and dropped the cologne as they ran away.
They tried again at a RiteAid on March 6, again with two bottles of cologne. Police said when an employee confronted the suspects the man slashed wildly with a switchblade, narrowly missing the employee.
"By pulling that knife you've now committed a felony and over two bottles of cologne you're risking a lot of years in jail," said Davis.
The suspects escaped on an RTD bus at Jewell and Wadsworth. Police caught up to that bus by the time it reached Hampden but the suspects were already gone.
Police said they were able to identify the couple because of media coverage of the crimes.
Hardin was booked on two counts of armed robbery and Baldwin was booked and released on theft charges.