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Flagship Nordstrom store robbed twice in five days

SEATTLE, Wash. — Just five days after an armed man held up the downtown Seattle Nordstrom store and got away on a bicycle, KIRO 7 learned the same store was targeted again. And this time, the suspects were violent.

The most recent strong-armed robbery happened on September 17th, just after 2:30 p.m.

According to Seattle police, two men shoplifted nearly $600 worth of Rebecca Minkoff purses, and two female Nordstrom loss prevention staff members tried to take the men into custody.

At that point, three additional suspects got out of a tan, 4-door 1997 Buick parked nearby and began beating the Nordstrom staff members.

One victim was struck "five to ten times with closed fists in the chest and face area,” according to police.

The suspects then piled into the Buick and drove south on Fifth Avenue before they were captured, blocks away, by officers.

Most of the five suspects have been identified and arrested.

Detectives are now searching the tan Buick for evidence of the September 17th robbery and for possible evidence of other crimes because, according to documents, the Northgate Nordstrom was recently targeted by two of the same suspects.

The downtown Seattle Nordstrom at 500 Pine Street, known as the company's flagship store, was also robbed on September 12th. A man armed with a gun held up the first floor jewelry counter and got away on a bicycle with a $25,000 diamond ring.

On Tuesday, Seattle Police Detective Patrick Michaud told KIRO 7 that the armed robber who fled on a bike is still at large.

Michaud said the department is not ready to share surveillance video of the September 17th crime.  Nordstrom declined to comment or provide surveillance video.

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