Detectives targeted the SeaTac transit garage after a series of weekend thefts involving Kia and Hyundai vehicles.
SEATAC, WA — King County sheriff’s detectives arrested four teenagers in connection with a series of vehicle thefts at the Angle Lake Station parking garage after investigators focused on a pattern of cars disappearing during late-night weekend hours.
The arrests followed about three weeks of investigation into multiple stolen vehicles reported at the Sound Transit facility in SeaTac. Authorities said the thefts had largely occurred on Saturday nights between about 10 p.m. and 3 a.m., leading deputies assigned to Sound Transit and SeaTac police to conduct an enforcement operation at the garage.
The suspects included two 14-year-old boys, a 16-year-old boy and an 18-year-old woman. The younger suspects were booked into juvenile detention on allegations that included attempted vehicle theft, taking a motor vehicle without permission, possession of a stolen vehicle and attempting to elude police, according to local reports citing investigators. Because the three younger suspects are minors, their names were not publicly released.
The adult suspect was identified in court records as Payton Rose Cummings, 18. King County prosecutors charged Cummings on Oct. 7 with two counts of second-degree taking a motor vehicle without permission. The charges are allegations, and Cummings is presumed innocent unless proved guilty in court.
Investigators said Kia and Hyundai vehicles were among those targeted at the garage. During the operation, detectives recovered a screwdriver that authorities said was dropped by one of the suspects during a foot pursuit. Investigators believe the tool had been used to damage vehicle windows and ignitions.
Court records cited by FOX 13 Seattle say Cummings told detectives she had participated in at least five vehicle thefts from the Angle Lake garage and described the location as a primary place where the group stole cars. Authorities have not publicly said whether all of the thefts reported during the three-week period have been tied to the four suspects.
Investigators also connected one of the stolen vehicles to a separate criminal investigation. A 2016 Hyundai Elantra stolen from the Angle Lake garage on Sept. 27 was later used during an armed robbery in Seattle, according to investigators. Court records say Cummings acknowledged helping steal the vehicle but denied taking part in the robbery. Authorities have not accused her of committing that robbery in the information reviewed for this report.
The case drew additional attention because two of those arrested are 14 years old. The King County Sheriff’s Office highlighted the arrests on its website Oct. 9, saying Sound Transit detectives had arrested four suspected car thieves at Angle Lake. The agency provides law enforcement services for Sound Transit as well as several cities and other jurisdictions in King County.
Cummings was released on her own recognizance after prosecutors requested $10,000 bail at her first court appearance, according to FOX 13. She was ordered to appear for arraignment Oct. 12 at the Maleng Regional Justice Center in Kent. The current custody status and future court dates for the three juvenile suspects have not been publicly confirmed.
The investigation remains tied to the broader series of vehicle thefts reported at the Angle Lake garage, and authorities have not announced whether additional suspects or charges are expected. The cases against the four teenagers will proceed separately through the adult and juvenile court systems as prosecutors review the evidence gathered by investigators.
Author note: Last updated October 10, 2026.