The owner of Perfetto Espresso on 244th Street Southwest in Mountlake Terrace is offering one year of free coffee to anyone who can help catch the thief behind a recent robbery.

The store had a break-in last week, then on Wednesday someone robbed the store at gunpoint, according to store owner Troy Malchow.

The robber hit right after the morning rush in broad daylight. Malchow was the only one inside.

"I saw this guy walking down the sidewalk...walks right in and pulls a gun out and said 'stay calm and give me the money,' " he said.

Malchow says it happened so quickly and quietly that no one outside noticed.

"I tried to follow him in my car and by the time I had pulled out into the street, he had disappeared," he said.

Police couldn't find him either.

Malchow is concerned the stand might be hit again, especially following the trend of recent robberies at other coffee stands.

A coffee stand in Auburn was robbed last September, and another in Crown Hill was hit earlier this month.

Malchow is trying to fight crime with his reward to anyone who helps police find the thief. And the word is spreading fast through the coffee line.

"A lot of people around here are regulars and I suspect this guys probably from around here. I mean I don't know, but maybe someone around here knows something," said