Bikini barista says she didn’t know the man with Chevrolet tattoo who tried to kidnap her

A bikini-clad barista was nearly kidnapped by a trucker wearing plastic ties on Tuesday and said she did not recognize her would-be kidnapper, who was arrested 14 hours after police released chilling surveillance video capturing the incident. .

Nine-second security video taken at 5:06 a.m. Monday showed the terrifying scene at the self-service Beankini Espresso in Auburn, Washington, a women-owned coffee stand whose baristas serve in lingerie and bikinis.

Video shows the suspect attempting to drag the unnamed barista out of the window using a lasso-like device. The victim was able to fight off the attacker, who fled after failing to tie the woman up.

Desperate to find the man, suburban Seattle police shared footage of the brief encounter in hopes a citizen could identify him.

Less than 14 hours ago, a suspect, identified Wednesday as Matthew Darnell, was arrested at his Auburn home on attempted kidnapping charges. Pictured during a court appearance, Darnell sports the same distinctive ‘Chevrolet’ tattoo as the would-be kidnapper in the now widely seen images.

Scroll down for the video:

The barista, who has worked at the coffee stand for nine years, claimed Wednesday that the trucker, who was driving a Chevrolet Silverado, randomly attacked her.

Speaking on Wednesday shortly after news of Darnell’s arrest broke, the victim, who asked not to be named, told DailyMail.com the incident was a “totally random act”.

Shocked by the incident, she stated that she is grateful that the woman-owned property puts employee safety first, revealing that the store, which opens at 4:30 a.m., is equipped with a silent panic button, metal doors and surveillance cameras.

To that end, staff may also carry maces and tasers, he said. The store is situated on a busy stretch of road in the center of the suburb. Bikini-clad baristas are part of the cafe’s draw.

Speaking to Insider on Wednesday, the barista said she was hopeful the police had the right man, so she couldn’t try to do this to anyone else.

“There is nothing else we should have done or could have done to prevent this,” the barista told Insider, reiterating the extensive security measures taken at the popular coffee stand, whose owner, he said, “puts our safety first. “.

“We have maces, tasers, silent panic buttons, we have metal doors, extra precautions in case someone tries to kick in a door,” he said. ‘We have audio, video.’

She added to DailyMail.com on Wednesday: ‘Our landlord allows us to close the window on any customer and handle each situation in the way we feel comfortable. We are permitted to deny service to anyone for any reason.

It was this heightened surveillance that led cops to Darnell, after investigators got a good look at the man they were looking for thanks to the brief clip.

In the footage, as the man approaches the window to pay and then get his change, a distinctive tattoo reading “Chevrolet” can be seen on his arm. The tip was not lost on investigators, who were able to track down the suspect who they believe is the driver of the Silverado on Tuesday.

In addition to his conspicuous tattoo, the suspect was seen grabbing the woman’s arm with one hand while holding a zipper-closing device in the other, before attempting to drag the victim out of the window.

The barista, however, fought back and thankfully broke free. The man was then forced to speed away, leaving behind the dollar bills the worker had been handing him on the ground.

On Monday morning when the incident occurred, the barista said her possible kidnapper ordered a drink and paid for it, before asking to change for a $5 bill.

It was when she handed him the five dollar bills again that he grabbed her, the victim said. She told DailyMail.com that she and her colleagues had never seen it before.

On Tuesday, about half a day after the close call from the cafe worker, Auburn police arrested Darnell, before identifying him the next day.

The photos show Darnell’s first court appearance in King County on Wednesday, at which a judge determined there was sufficient probable cause to hold the suspect on one felony count of attempted second-degree kidnapping.

Currently awaiting trial at the King County Correctional Facility, Darnell’s Bail was set at $500,000, police and public records confirmed.

It is currently unclear if he had any connection to the barista or the coffee business.

Despite quick arrests by police, several residents, including other baristas at nearby stores, raised concerns for their safety.

A barista who owns a similar coffee stand where the employees wear risqué uniforms told KIRO 7 on Wednesday that she is already in the process of changing it to be more family friendly in hopes of keeping the creeps like the one seen in the pictures away.

Auburn Police Department spokesman Kolby Crossley added: “They are in vulnerable positions because they usually control those places themselves in the early hours of the morning when it’s dark outside.”

“But this barista did an amazing job of protecting herself and fighting this person.”

Authorities added that they arrested the suspect after “overwhelming support from the community.”