Man, Two Teens Accused Of Plot To Rob Theater Manager

A Newport, Wash., man and two teens were arrested late Thursday on charges of conspiring to rob a North Division theater manager, police said.

Richard J. Henderson, 19, of Newport, was arrested on charges of conspiracy to commit first-degree robbery. Two 17-year-old boys, one from Newport, the other from Oldtown, Idaho, also were arrested.

Spokane police staked out the area around the North Division Cinemas on Thursday evening after learning of the robbery plan. The plan apparently was to rob the manager who was leaving to make a night deposit, according to police, who didn’t say how they learned of the plan.

Henderson is familiar with the deposit schedule because he recently had been employed at the theater, police said. He no longer works there.

About 9:30 p.m., Henderson, accompanied by the two juveniles, drove his pickup truck into the parking lot, according to police.

Police watched as they circled the lot, then parked next to the theater. Then, officers arrested the three.

Under the law, conspirators must not only plan a crime, but take a “substantial step” toward its commission. Authorities considered driving from Newport and arriving at the theater just before the the manager normally leaves with money to be a substantial step, police said.

A knife with a 9-inch blade was found in Henderson’s pickup.