The Seattle Safe Streets Task Force believes the bank robber nicknamed the Summertime Heat Robber is in custody.
After an exhaustive review of 12 bank robberies in Washington state, investigators believe that the subject's description and disguises used may be identifiable with 28-year-old Nicholas J. Nelson, of North Bend, and his clothing.
The task force is still seeking to apprehend 24-year-old Christopher Titian, of Canada. Investigators developed information that suggests Titian assisted the Summertime Heat Robber by driving him to and from three bank robberies.
Authorities have had Nelson in custody since Jan. 9, 2016. At approximately 8:30 p.m., Auburn Police Department patrol officers arrested Nelson, allegedly in the act of attempting to rob, with a knife, the customer service desk at a Fred Meyer.
Investigators also believe Nelson is responsible for the Jan. 2 robbery of the customer service desk at a Fred Meyer in Issaquah, which similarly involved a knife.
Based on these two incidents, the King County Prosecutor's Office has filed two counts of robbery against Nelson.
During the Jan. 2 robbery, the subject wore a blue, hooded jacket and dark glasses. During the Jan. 9 robbery, the subject wore a pink or red hooded jacket.
The Summertime Heat Robber typically wore black sunglasses and a baseball cap, and different hooded sweatshirts or a scarf over his face.
The task force continues to investigate the following Washington state robberies attributed to the Summertime Heat Robber, including a possible connection to Nelson:
- Dec. 9, 2015: Bank of America on Bendigo Boulevard North, North Bend
- Dec. 3, 2015: U.S. Bank on Northwest Gilman Boulevard, Issaquah
- Dec. 1, 2015: Bank of America on Front Street North, Issaquah
- Sept. 30, 2015: Bank of America on Northeast Eighth Street, Bellevue
- Sept. 26, 2015: Chase Bank on Klahanie Drive Southeast, Sammamish
- Sept. 21, 2015: Union Bank on Avondale Way Northeast, Redmond
- Sept. 15, 2015: Chase Bank on Klahanie Drive Southeast, Sammamish
- Aug. 2, 2014: Chase Bank on A Street Southeast, Auburn
- July 24, 2014: Cascade Federal Credit Union on 80th Avenue South, Kent
- July 11, 2014: KeyBank on Northwest Gilman Boulevard, Issaquah
- June 25, 2014: KeyBank on Northwest Gilman Boulevard, Issaquah
- Feb. 22, 2014: KeyBank on Northwest Gilman Boulevard, Issaquah
Investigators believe Titian drove the Summertime Heat Robber to and from the June 25 and July 11 robberies in Issaquah, and the July 24 robbery in Kent.
Nelson has not been charged with the additional 12 robberies. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The task force is releasing this information at this time in order to reassure the public that investigators no longer expect additional robberies by the Summertime Heat Robber.
During the robberies, the subject made physical threats and, on one occasion, implied that he had a weapon. At a July robbery, the he knocked over a security guard on the way out of the bank. Based on that information, investigators previously warned the public that the Summertime Heat Robber should be considered armed and dangerous.
If you have information on the robberies, call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
The task force works to identify, disrupt, and dismantle existing and emerging violent criminal enterprises and gangs in King County, as well as other individuals and groups whose criminal activity negatively impacts the Puget Sound area.
The task force includes members from the FBI, Auburn Police Department, Bellevue Police Department, Everett Police Department, Lynnwood Police Department, Kent Police Department, King County Sheriff's Office, Seattle Police Department and Snohomish County Sheriff's Office.