Police: Thrift store manager, employee helped stop drunk groper

SEATTLE -- Police heralded a South Lake Union shop manager and employee for stopping an alleged groper who walked around a thrift store grabbing women's butts.

According to Seattle police, an employee at a South Lake Union shop was pushing a cart filled with socks through a thrift store around 1 p.m. Tuesday when a 65-year-old "drunk man in a cowboy hat" approached the woman and squeezed her butt.  The employee turned around and yelled, "that's not acceptable," at the suspect, police said.

The suspect allegedly acted surprised and responded, "Oh, I didn't know."

Shortly after the incident, a customer approached the employee and said the man had grabbed another woman who quickly left the store. The employee and the store's manager called 911.

Officers found the suspect in line at the store and he was taken into custody. Police allegedly found a partially consumed bottle of vodka in his jacket. He also had a warrant out for property destruction.

The suspect was taken into custody and booked into King County Jail.

Police are trying to identify the woman who fled the store after the alleged groping. Anyone who has information on the incident is encouraged to call 911.