Earlier this week police arrested three men who they believe were responsible for a string of robberies over the last month after the suspects attempted to rob the 7-Eleven convenience store near the corner of California Avenue Southwest and Admiral Way.

Police are continuing to investigate the incidents and expect that more suspects involved remain at large.

According to Lieutenant Steve Paulsen of the Southwest Precinct, the robbery occurred around 1:35 a.m. on Jan. 4 when one armed, Hispanic male entered and attempted to rob the store after which the clerk ran and hid from the suspect.

Responding to a 911 call, several patrol officers, robbery detectives, K-9 and SWAT officers set up a containment area and stopped a fleeing vehicle at the 4400 block of Southwest College Street. The officers arrested three young men and recovered a handgun at the scene.

After the arrest officer Jeff Kappel reported that police are investigating the three in connection to a string of eight convenience store robberies occurring since Dec. 5 in West Seattle, White Center and Tukwila. But police also believe that there are others involved in the robberies, and hope this arrest will lead them to the rest of the group.

The suspects have been identified as 18-year-old Esgar Villegas-Luna, 18-year-old Jose Torres and 21-year-old Irvin E. Lopez-Valenzuela.

According to arrest records Torres spent three days in a juvenile detention center in July and Villegas-Luna spent in juvenile custody in November, both for auto-theft charges.

In each of the previous robberies which police expect to be related, suspects quickly entered and exited the stores wearing masks, hats or bandanas. While store clerks have been held-up at gun point during each of the robberies, none have been injured.

The Seattle Police Department is working with the King County Sheriff?s Office and the Tukwila Police Department on this ongoing investigation.

Rose Egge can be reached at 932-0300 or rosee@robinsonnews.com.