VIDEO: Suspect crashes stolen Kia through Covington storefront in brazen smash-and-grab theft

COVINGTON, Wash. - King County Sheriff's deputies are looking for a suspect who smashed a stolen Kia into a business to rob it early Wednesday morning. 

Surveillance video shows the car smashing into the front of a Covington cigar shop several times, before breaking through the glass entirely.

The driver of the stolen Kia gets out of the car, which is parked inside the store, and starts throwing cigarette cartons into the vehicle.

After a few later, surveillance video shows King County deputies arriving on scene and parking in front of the business. It seems like the suspect is blocked inside the store.

However, this does not deter the thief, who speeds the stolen vehicle farther into the business, before reversing out of the front, smashing through the windows and driving around the sheriff’s vehicle to escape.

"Tragedies don’t stop, you know, people from having to live their lives," said Fantaysia Riley, an employee at the business. 

Riley said the owner took over the shop earlier this month. 

She and other employees spent the day cleaning up the disaster left behind by the smash-and-grab suspect. However, despite the damage to the shop, the business stayed open throughout the day.

"I don’t know where to start from here. I don’t know where he’s going to start from here. I guess just hope for the best, you can’t expect the worst anymore because the worst has happened," she said.

Investigators said the suspect got onto Highway 18. They located the stolen car in Auburn but were unable to find the suspect.

If you have any surveillance footage near Covington Square strip mall from around 7 a.m. Monday, contact the King County Sheriff's Office here.