Bikini varista says she did not know the man who tried to kidnap her

‘It was totally random’: Bikini barista says she did not know the man with Chevrolet tattoo who tried to kidnap her and defends safety precautions saying they have mace, tasers, silent panic buttons and metal doors

• Police arrested the suspect at 11am Tuesday at his home near Seattle 
• They identified him by a ‘unique’ tattoo which says ‘Chevrolet’ on his left arm 
• He has not yet been charged but was hunted on suspicion of attempted kidnap 
• The victim told DailyMail.com she had never seen the suspect before

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 nine-second security video taken at 5.06 a.m. Monday showed the terrifying scene at the drive-thru Beankini Espresso in Auburn, Washington – a female-owned coffee stand whose baristas serve in lingerie and bikinis. 

The video shows the suspect attempting to drag the unnamed barista out of the window using a looped, zip-tie-like device. The victim was able to fight off the attacker, who drives off after failing to rope in the woman.

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

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

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A barista who was nearly abducted 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 this chilling surveillance footage that captured the close call

The barista, who has worked at the drive-thru coffee stand for nine years, asserted Wednesday that she was targeted by the trucker, who was driving a Chevrolet Silverado, randomly.

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’.

Shaken from the incident, she asserted that she’s thankful the female-owned puts employee safety first, revealing the store – which opens at 4:30 am – is equipped with a silent panic button, metal doors and surveillance cameras.

To that end, staff are also allowed to carry mace and tasers, she said. The store is situated on a busy stretch of road in the suburb’s center. The bikini-clad baristas are part of the attraction of the coffee shop.

The coffee shop is equipped with a silent panic button, metal doors and surveillance cameras. Staff are also allowed to have mace and tasers. 

Beankini Espresso, in Auburn, Washington, is a female-owned business that serves coffee and espresso 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. 

‘There is nothing more we should have done or could have done to prevent this,’ the barista told Insider, reiterating the extensive safety measures taken at the popular coffee stand, whose owner, she said, ‘puts our 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, 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.’ 

The alleged kidnapper grabbed the arm of the barista as she tried to hand him some cash through the window of his car 

The barista is seen handing the suspect cash back before he rips out zip ties and attempts to drag her through the drive-thru window

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 short clip. 

In the footage, when the man pulls up to the window to pay and then get his change, a distinctive tattoo on his arm reading ‘Chevrolet’ can be seen. The lead was not lost on investigators, who were able to track down the suspect they believe to be the driver of the Silverado on Tuesday.

Aside from his conspicuous tattoo, the suspect was seen grabbing the woman’s arm with one hand while holding a looped zip tie device in the other – before attempting to drag the victim out of the window. 

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

The bikini-clad baristas are part of the attraction of the coffee shop

On Monday morning, when the incident occurred, the barista said her would-be abductor ordered a drink and paid for it, before requesting change for a $5 bill.

It was when she went back to give him the five one-dollar bills that he grabbed her, the victim said. She told DailyMail.com she and her colleagues had never seen him before.

On Tuesday, roughly half-a-day after the coffee worker’s close call, police in Auburn arrested Darnell, before identifying him the next day.

Photos show Darnell’s first court appearance in King’s County Wednesday, which saw a judge determine that there was enough probable cause to hold the suspect on one felony charge attempted kidnapping in the second degree.

Currently awaiting trial in King County Correctional Facility, Darnell’s bail has been set at $500,000, police and public records confirmed. 

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

The predator drives off after the woman fights them off and slams the window shut

The barista fought back and eventually set herself free before the man quickly sped off with some dollar bills falling to the ground

Despite police quickly making the arrest, several residents – including other baristas at nearby stores – have aired concerns for their safety.

One barista who owns a similar coffee stand where staffers don risque uniforms told KIRO 7 Wednesday that 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’.

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