By CHELSEA KROTZER
Staff writer

Three teens were arrested Tuesday and one remains at large after four Lacey homes were set on fire, causing more than $400,000 in damage.

Two 16-year-old boys are accused of five counts of arson, burglary and malicious mischief, according to Thurston County Sheriff’s Lt. Greg Elwin.

A 13-year-old boy is accused of one count of arson, burglary and malicious mischief. A 17-year-old thought to be involved hasn’t been found. All four live in the northwestern part of the county, Elwin said.

“It’s all looking like just runaway kids with poor motivation,” Elwin said. …

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UPDATED at 7:31 a.m.

Thurston County sheriff’s deputies are investigating another suspicious fire in a Lacey-area housing development.

The overnight fire occurred in the same development where four fires damaged houses on Saturday. The homes in the development in the 4000 of 20th Avenue Northeast off Sleater-Kinney Road are under construction.

Investigators suspect the Saturday fires might be arson as well.

Firefighters were called to the development again overnight. Teens were in the area right before the flames were spotted, Thurston County dispatchers report.

A police dog did a track but no arrests were made. Deputies said they …

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The Olympia-Thurston County Crime Stoppers will be hosting a shred event this weekend.

The event is scheduled from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday at Saint Martin’s University in Lacey, 5300 Pacific Ave. S.E.

Residents are encouraged to bring the documents that contain sensitive, personal information that they no longer need so the papers can be shredded. Residents are limited to two banker boxes or grocery bags filled with documents.

The event is free.

It is being sponsored by the Lacey Police Department, university, Allwest Moving and Storage and Access Information Management.

UPDATED at 9:08 a.m.

A SWAT standoff at a home just outside of Lacey ended this morning after a man wanted on warrants reportedly shot and killed himself.

Thurston County sheriff’s deputies had gone to the home in the 1100 block of Irene Street about 12:40 a.m. today to arrest the 35-year-old man on five outstanding warrants, Thurston County sheriff’s Lt. …

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By staff writer Jeremy Pawloski:

The Thurston County Coroner has identified a man who died after being shot Monday morning as Joshua W. Nelson, 23, of Lacey.

…

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Lacey firefighters are searching for the cause of a vehicle fire early today that spread to a fourplex.

Crews were called to the fire in the 600 block of Midway Drive Northeast just before 2 a.m. Initially, callers reported seeing a vehicle on fire in the parking lot, Lacey Fire District reported. Callers then reported hearing several explosions as the flames spread to one of the units of a fourplex.

Lacey police arrived and saw the apartment and the surrounding trees on fire.

All of the occupants of the fourplex got out without injury.

Firefighters doused the flames. They stayed …

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Lacey police are asking for the public’s help in identifying a man who stole a rifle from the Cabela’s Outfitters store on New Year’s Eve.

The man entered the store on Gateway Blvd. N.E. about 9:20 a.m. and removed a rifle from the sales rack. Surveillance footage shows him hide the gun in his clothing and go inside a fitting room, where he appears to have removed the security device.

He then left the store with the rifle concealed in his clothing.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Lacey Police Department at 360-459-4333. Anonymous tipsters may also call …

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Five businesses in Lakewood, Tacoma and Lacey were robbed in the last week and police believe the same man may be responsible.

In each case, the …

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