Man Asks For Job; Robs Downtown Store

A man robbed a downtown Spokane natural food store Saturday afternoon after first asking for a job application.

Shortly after the robbery, police arrested James H. Hicks, 28, of W6501 50th.

A clerk at Pilgrim Natural Food Store, N210 Howard, told police the man started to fill out a job application, then opened some bottled water from a cooler and took a bag of cashews.

The man went to the counter as if to pay, then threatened the clerk with a pair of scissors when the clerk opened the cash register, police said.

The man took cash from the register and ran from the store.

Hicks was arrested in Riverfront Park a short time later, and the stolen money was recovered.

Hicks, who was in jail Sunday night, faces first-degree robbery charges.