Subway worker raped, robbed at gunpoint

Subway worker raped, robbed at gunpoint

The Chehalis Subway store where the attack took place.

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Story Published: Jul 17, 2008 at 10:12 AM PDT

Story Updated: Nov 20, 2008 at 11:18 PM PDT

By Keith Eldridge

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CHEHALIS - Police are looking for a suspect who got into a Subway sandwich shop at closing time, allegedly raped the lone worker at gunpoint, tied her up and fled. It all reportedly happened Wednesday at about 10 p.m.

Police have little to go on. There’s a vague description and no video surveillance tape inside the store, though detectives are checking video from other nearby stores. They're hoping the victim will provide enough information to help them come up with a sketch and get this guy off the streets.

   Police investigate behind the store after the attack.
From the front outside, it's easy to see what's in the store. But the back is where the victim says the suspect managed to get in armed with a handgun. She believes he probably snuck in as the last co-worker left for the night.

The 20-year-old woman says the man raped her, tied her up, took cash, ripped the phone out and fled.

People who work nearby say workers operating alone at night are too vulnerable.

"It's pretty sad that they don't have the security back here that they should have; otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to get in," says Mary Braae.

Worker Mark Pendleton said, "Two people. We have a good rule about two people at all times when you set the door after closing. But, that (the rape) is not good."

Officers and a detective are checking the area behind the store and next to the airport looking for any sign of the suspect.

Chehalis Police Chief Glenn Schaffer says, "We're canvassing the area like we would in any situation with the hopes that maybe somebody dropped something behind that would help us out."

And they're talking to the victim's co-workers to see if they might have any clues.

Subway owner Christian Fast says, "Our hopes and prayers are with the victim and her family. We are working very closely with the police and we hope the perpetrator is caught very soon."

Melissa Gist, who used to work next door, said, "It's scary. It's going to change her life forever for sure. Those kinds of things are really very hard."

Braae added, “My prayers are with her, definitely."

The victim was able to untie herself, but since the phone was ripped out, she had to drive all the way to a friend's house to call police.

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