Female suspect arrested for alleged theft at Bailey’s IGA 

A woman was arrested following an alleged theft and assault at Bailey’s IGA supermarket on Feb. 20. 

 Thurston County Sheriff’s Office (TCSO) deputies responded to the store at 10333 U.S. Highway 12 SW in Rochester around 2:25 p.m. after reports of a theft that escalated into a physical altercation.  

 According to a TCSO report, a female suspect took items from the store and assaulted an employee who attempted to intervene.  

 The suspect, later identified as Hope E. Bates, then fled the scene in a white Ford pickup driven by a male accomplice. 

 Security footage and witness statements confirmed that the suspect had concealed merchandise in her bag before bypassing checkout.  

 “Bates walks around the store until 1521 hrs when she walks towards the front of the store with an empty hand basket and a now bulging purse. Bates puts down the hand basket at an isle near the exit and walks past all points of sale towards the exit,” TCSO stated in the report. 

 When confronted outside, she allegedly attacked the store employee before escaping. 

 Deputies located the vehicle at a residence in the 17800 block of Albany Street SW, where Bates was taken into custody and booked into Thurston County Jail on charges of first-degree robbery with bodily injury. 

 The male driver was questioned but later released due to a lack of evidence linking him to the crime.