Two people accused of robbing multiple payday loan stores and pharmacies in Spokane, Wash., are now in police custody.  Zachary Tyler Allen, 19, and Kimberly Ann Norman, 20, were arrested yesterday after a month long crime spree.

Police believe the two are responsible for two robberies at the same pharmacy Jan. 8 and Jan. 11. The two are also accused in several payday loan store robberies in Spokane. The most recent robbery was another pharmacy that was hit Feb. 5.

Details on payday loan store robberies

The first Spokane payday loan store robbery took place Jan. 14, when the robber held up a Check and Go store. Jan. 20 a Check into Cash location was robbed. The same Check into Cash location was robbed yet again Jan. 29 within hours of another robbery at another Check into Cash store. After the Check into Cash stores beefed up security, employees and police believe the same man attempted another robbery at the same store he had already robbed twice.

In each robbery, one suspect was identified. The man in each case was a white man with a gun wearing a black ski mask, about 5′6″. Details on how the female suspect was involved in the robberies have not been released.

Nationwide robberies

Police in Wichita, Kan., are still seeking the man who robbed an EZ Pay payday loan store last week. The suspect is described as a black male in his early 20s, 5′10″, about 130 pounds.

One suspect has been arrested in a string of payday loan store robberies in Indianapolis, Ind. Police are still seeking a second suspect, who they identify as Eric Edwards, 23. People with tips can call 317-262-TIPS.

Feb. 3 a payday loan store in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was robbed. Police are seeking a man and a woman. The man is described as a 5′10″ black man in his 20s with a mustache. A description of the woman hasn’t been released. Anyone with information is encouraged to call 1-800-CR-CRIME.

Extra security helps

The Check into Cash location in Spokane was able to thwart an attempted robbery by increasing security measures. The stores began keeping their doors locked and requiring customers to show ID before entering the store. One night a man wearing a black ski mask attempted to enter the building, but he ran away after he realized the building was locked.

Other payday loan store should consider this policy before it’s too late and they get robbed, too. Another important security measure is video surveillance cameras. Video surveillance is often very helpful in identifying suspects. Also, posted signs informing people that there are cameras on the premises can deter criminals, as can the appearance of the cameras themselves.

Be on the lookout

No matter where your payday loan store is, business owners, employees and customers need to be prepared in case their store is targeted. Payday loan stores must keep large amounts of cash on hand, which makes them frequent targets for thieves. At the very least, employees at a payday loan store or any type of business that keeps a lot of cash should never be left alone.