A bikini-clad barista nearly kidnapped by a zip-tie-wielding truck driver Tuesday said she did not recognize her would-be abductor, who was arrested 14 hours after police released chilling surveillance footage that captured the incident.
The 9-second security video, taken at 5.06 am Monday, showed the frightening scene at the drive-through Beankini Espresso in Auburn. This is a female-owned coffee shop whose baristas sell lingerie and bikinis.
The suspect attempts to drag the unnamed barista from the window using a looped and zip-tie-like device. After failing to rope in the victim, the attacker drove off and the victim was able to fight back.
In desperate search of the man, the Seattle police shared footage from the brief encounter with the hope that a citizen would be able to identify him.
In less than 14 hours, Matthew Darnell was arrested at his Auburn home on attempted kidnapping suspicions. Darnell was seen in court with the same distinctive ‘Chevrolet ‘tattoo’ as the abductor.
Scroll down to watch the video
Barista nearly kidnapped by a truck driver who used zip ties Tuesday, said that she didn’t recognize the man who took her. The driver was taken into custody 14 hours after police released chilling surveillance footage.
The barista has been working at the drive-thru coffee shop for nine years. She claimed Wednesday that she was targeted randomly by the trucker who drove a Chevrolet Silverado.
Speaking Wednesday shortly after news of Darnell’s arrest surfaced, the victim, asking not to be named, told DailyMail.com the incident was a ‘totally random act’.
She was shaken by the incident and stated that she is thankful that the female-owned store puts employee safety first. The store, which opens at 4:30 AM, has a silent panic button, steel doors, and surveillance cameras.
Staff is allowed to carry mace or tasers. The store is on a busy street in the city’s middle. The coffee shop is known for its bikini-clad baristas.
The coffee shop comes equipped with a metal door, a surveillance camera, and a silent panic button. The staff is allowed to use mace or tasers.
Bikini Espresso in Auburn, Washington is a female-owned coffee shop that serves espresso and coffee through a drive-thru window. Pictured: A former employee, not the victim
Speaking to Insider on Wednesday, the barista said she was hopeful police had the right man so that he couldn’t try to do this to anyone else.
Insider reported that there was nothing else she could have done to stop this. She reiterated the safety precautions taken at the coffee stand’s popular coffee shop, whose owner, she stated, “puts safety number one.”
‘We have mace, tasers, silent panic buttons, we have metal doors — extra precautions for if someone were to try to kick a door in,’ she said. We have audio and video.
She added to DailyMail.com Wednesday: ‘Our owner allows us to shut the window on any customer and handle every situation in the way we feel comfortable. We are allowed to refuse service to anyone for any reason.’
As the barista tried to give him cash through his car’s window, the alleged kidnapper pulled at her arm.
The suspect is seen giving the cash back to the barista before he pulls out zip ties to drag the woman through the drive-thru.
This increased surveillance was what led to Darnell being taken into custody by the police. Investigators had a brief clip that allowed them to see the man they were trying to find.
You can see a distinctive tattoo on the arm of the man when he pulls up to the windows to pay. Investigators were not without a clue, and they were able Tuesday to locate the suspect believed to be the Silverado driver.
The suspect was also visible grabbing the woman by the arm, while holding a looped zipper tie in the other.
The barista however fought back and was eventually freed. The man was then forced to speed off, leaving behind dollar bills the worker had been handing him on the ground.
The coffee shop is a magnet for bikini-clad baristas.
The incident took place on Monday morning. On Monday, the barista stated that her abductor ordered a beverage and paid for it. She then requested change for $5.
According to the victim, he grabbed her as she tried to return with the five one-dollar bills. DailyMail.com told her that she had never seen him before, as did her colleagues.
On Tuesday, about half-a-day after the close call with the coffee worker, Auburn police arrested Darnell. They identified him the next morning.
Photos show Darnell’s first court date in King’s County Wednesday. The judge determined there was sufficient probable cause for Darnell to be held on Wednesday on one felony charge of attempted kidnapping.
Darnell is currently being tried in King County Correctional Facility. Police and public records confirm that bail was set at $500,000
It is not known if he was connected to the baristas or coffee business.
The predator leaves after the woman has fought them off, and then slams on the window.
The barista fought back to be freed before the man sped off with some Dollar bills on the ground.
Despite the fact that police were quick to arrest them, residents raised concerns about their safety.
A barista at a coffee shop similar to the one in question told KIRO7 Wednesday that staff members wear risky uniforms. she’s already in the process of changing it to be more family-friendly in the hopes of keeping away creeps like the one seen in the footage.
Auburn Police Department spokesperson Kolby Crossley added: ‘They are in vulnerable positions because they’re usually controlling those spots by themselves at early hours in the morning when it’s dark outside.
‘But this barista did an awesome job of protecting herself and fighting this person off.’
Authorities added that they arrested the suspect after ‘overwhelming support from the community’.
Comment and share the article