Police responded to a report of a robbery at a grocery store in the 1700 block of 4th Avenue S around 9:30 this morning.

Grocery store employees confronted the suspect after she attempted to take batteries, pet treats and sandals without paying for them. The woman struck one of the employees in the throat with her bare hands and walked out the door with the stolen merchandise.

Officers combed the area and located a woman who was a close physical match to the suspect just a block away.

During the contact, officers discovered they in fact located the fleeing suspect. The woman had attempted to conceal her identity by changing her top after fleeing the store, but neither the officers nor the witnesses were tricked by the ruse.

Officers returned the stolen items to grocery store staff and booked the woman into King County Jail for Investigation of Robbery.