Man accused of stealing axe from Centralia business, threatening to kill employee 

A man is facing felony charges for allegedly stealing items, including an axe, from a Centralia business on Sunday. 

When confronted by a store employee, Cielo Carlson Sanchez, 36, of Belfair, threatened to kill the employee with the stolen axe, the Lewis County Prosecutor’s Office alleges. 

Sanchez was charged Monday, Dec. 29, in Lewis County Superior Court with one count each of first-degree robbery and felony harassment, threat to kill, following a Centralia Police Department investigation. 

Bail is set at $50,000. 

Officers were dispatched to the Timeless Treasures Store in the 300 block of North Tower Avenue in Centralia at approximately 12:27 p.m. on Dec. 28 for a report of a robbery, according to court documents and police call logs. 

A store employee reportedly called 911 after a male took several items from the store and left out a back door without paying. 

The employee said he confronted the male to try and get the items back, but said the male raised the stolen axe and asked the employee if he wanted to die. 

The employee said “he was scared and ran back inside to call 911,” according to court documents.  

The stolen property — a smoking pipe, a pair of bolt cutters and an axe — was later located on the ground near Railroad Avenue behind the store. 

An officer reportedly located someone matching the suspect’s description in the 200 block of South Tower Avenue. The man first “identified himself as God,” then gave the name Sky Sanchez, before providing his correct name, according to Centralia police. 

Sanchez reportedly “denied being involved in any incident” and said he was in the area looking for his vehicle, according to court documents. 

Sanchez later allegedly admitted to stealing the items, saying he “went outside with the items and thought that this was not him, so he put down the items and walked away.” 

When asked if there was any confrontation during the theft, Sanchez allegedly said he got “defensive.” 

Court documents indicate that, at the time of the incident, Sanchez was reportedly out of custody on release conditions for an unrelated case out of Mason County Superior Court. 

Arraignment for his Lewis County case is scheduled for Jan. 8.