Charging decisions expected early next week against 2 ATM smash & grab burglary suspects

SEATTLE -- The King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office says charging decisions are expected Tuesday and Wednesday against two men accused of committing several ATM smash and grab burglaries in recent months.

Branden Cerna, 33, and Stanley Lee, 30, both appeared in court Saturday for the first time since their arrests at a Tukwila hotel on Friday.

Police say the two could be tied to dozens more crimes.

"I feel good," said Bezunesh Woldemarieam, Owner of QT Market.

Woldemariam, who's known to her customers as Bella, says she's relieved to hear about the arrests. A break-in at her store on Tuesday left extensive damage behind.

Burglars smashed through the front door of her store with a truck and stole her ATM, some cigarettes, cash, a computer, and some important documents, she said.

It’s one of at least eight crimes dating back to early February that, detectives say, they’ve now connected to Cerna and Lee.

"They should put them in for a while, you know?" Woldemarieam told KOMO News on Saturday night. "Give them some years. They have to learn."

Cerna and Lee had been staying at the Tukwila hotel where they were both arrested on Friday, court documents reveal.

Someone tipped police off about the duo early this year, according to a probable cause affidavit obtained by KOMO News on Saturday.

Investigators say they used surveillance video and cell phone records to connect Cerna and Lee to several crimes. The two often turned their cell phones off before committing burglaries in order to conceal where they were, according to the probable cause affidavit.

"As we get additional cases from police, we’ll act on that immediately because this is a serious public safety concern and we want the public to be reassured that we’re gonna keep taking action on this," said Casey McNerthney, King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office.

The latest break-in was the 4th time that Woldemarieam's store has been hit since she opened it 10 years ago, she said.

"The people just grab here, here. Break in the door," she said. "But this time – just clean everything, you know?"

The repairs alone will cost several thousand dollars.

At 61 years old, she doesn’t know what the future holds for her business now.

"I came from another country, learned the language, learn the culture. I came to America for the freedom. Not for the money or the food. For the freedom. I got that American dream. I got the house. Everything. I worked hard. I earned it. I have the opportunity to do that. They have the opportunity – those people born here. But don’t go here and destroy people’s lives," Woldemarieam said.

Police say there could be more suspects out there.