A 38-year-old man armed with a red kitchen knife allegedly robbed a convenience store and threatened two gas station attendants in Southeast Portland on Monday and Tuesday.
Portland police arrested Vichea Jay Pok on suspicion of first-degree robbery and second-degree attempted assault after responding to a report that a man was jumping on a car and swinging a knife outside a bar on Southeast 82nd Avenue on Tuesday.
No one was injured.
Portland police first responded to reports of a robbery at a convenience store in the 10300 block of Southeast Holgate Boulevard around 8 a.m. Monday, when officers learned the suspect had drawn a knife and used it to stab the counter, police said. Police were unable to locate the suspect, but witnesses provided information to identify him.
On Tuesday, police responded to two more reports of a suspect armed with a knife. The first was around 9:50 a.m. at a gas station in the 6700 block of Southeast Division Street. Pok allegedly swung the knife at gas station attendants and left before police arrived.
Police responded to another call at 12:30 p.m. at a bar in the 4900 block of Southeast 82nd Avenue. Officers confronted Pok in the bar’s parking lot while he was standing on top of a car and swinging the knife, police said. Police used a less-lethal launcher and Taser to take Pok into custody.
Pok faced four charges including first-degree burglary in October 2021. A warrant was put out for his arrest when he failed to show up to court, records show.
– Austin De Dios; adedios@oregonian.com; @austindedios; (503) 319-9744
