Lights & Sirens » Theft

Police looking for man they said stole Coach purse in Fircrest, lied that it belonged to his sister

Alexis Krell — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 00:12:04 +0000

Fircrest police are asking for the public’s help to find a man with a felony warrant for identity theft and possession of stolen property.

Zachariah Hill, 20, was contacted by Fircrest police about 4:30 a.m. Tuesday and was found with a woman’s Coach purse and its contents, officers said.

While they didn’t believe Hill’s story that someone gave him the designer bag to pass along to his sister, they weren’t able to immediately disprove it, Fircrest Police Chief John Cheesman said.

They didn’t have probable cause to arrest him then, but they took the purse for safe keeping and told …

Trufant football memorabilia stolen after charity auction

Alexis Krell — Thu, 23 May 2013 01:11:28 +0000

A U-haul truck of football memorabilia and supplies from a charity auction for the Trufant Family Foundation was stolen the morning of May 19 from a hotel parking lot in South Renton, according to Renton police.

The truck was found in the area of Lake Desire, between Renton and Maple Valley, but its cargo from the event the night before was gone.

The “Dress to Impress” fundraising gala was to benefit the foundation started by NFL cornerback Marcus Trufant in 2003, which supports youth programs and aims to help disadvantaged youths “realize their dreams,” according to the foundation’s website. …

Bonney Lake woman pleads guilty to bilking homeowners’ association, former employer

Adam Lynn — Wed, 22 May 2013 20:45:11 +0000

A Bonney Lake woman was sentenced Wednesday to 30 days community service and 15 days house arrest after being convicted of embezzling money from her homeowners’ association and her former employer.

Jeanette Sturtz, 56, pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree theft prior to Superior Court Judge Frank Cuthbertson handing down the sentence.

Sturtz admitted she stole more than $10,000 from her homeowners’ association in 2010 and another $25,000 from a landscape company she worked for in 2010 and 2011.

Her boss at the landscaping company told detectives he thought Sturtz stole from him in part to pay back the …

Tacoma woman pleads not guilty to theft after receiving $50,000 in alleged fraudulent worker’s comp

Stacia Glenn — Tue, 14 May 2013 21:25:11 +0000

A 39-year-old Tacoma woman has pleaded not guilty to five counts of theft for allegedly fraudulently collecting more than $50,000 in worker’s compensation benefits.

Deana Cook filed for the benefits and claimed she was injured on the job in 2007 and 2009, according to the state Attorney General’s Office.

It’s unclear what Cook’s job was.

The state Department of Labor & Industries issued her about $50,000 in worker’s compensation benefits because they believed she was unable to work.

A routine check of social security numbers between L&I and the state Employment Security Department showed Cook worked for two employers at …

Tacoma: Thieves steal, damage plants at newly enhanced Sprague Avenue gateway to Central Neighborhood

Lewis Kamb — Sun, 05 May 2013 00:31:59 +0000

Thieves have been ripping off decorative shrubs and plants along South Sprague Avenue at the city’s recently enhanced “gateway” to Tacoma’s Central Neighborhood from Highway 16.

City and neighborhood officials reported this week that about 18 plants — including fothergilla, heavenly bamboo and sun roses — have been dug up and taken in recent days from the landscaping project meant to beautify the roadway and improve its safety. Two other decorative plants — a magic carpet and a jade winter creeper — were recently pulled up and left dead or damaged at the site.

Total value of the plants …

Attempt to steal work pants from Fife store foiled when security officers detain knife-wielding suspect, police say

Alexis Krell — Thu, 02 May 2013 13:00:15 +0000

Security officers caught and detained a man who tried to take work pants from a Fife sporting goods store Tuesday without paying for them, despite the man’s attempt to ward them off with a knife, according to Fife police.

Police officers arrived and arrested the man for investigation of first-degree robbery. A second suspect who also entered the store offered $20 for each pair of pants he could steal, the other man told police. The second man fled in a car, Fife police said.

They said they were following leads Wednesday to try to find him.

Police gave this account …

Tacoma man charged with stealing tennis bracelets from Fred Meyer stores

Stacia Glenn — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 18:07:33 +0000

A 20-year-old Tacoma man is suspected of stealing tennis bracelets from two Fred Meyer stores in Pierce County to support his Percocet addiction.

Pierce County prosecutors have charged him in only one incident but said more charges may be filed later after the investigations wrap up.

The man pleaded not guilty Monday to first-degree theft for an April 22 incident at the Bonney Lake store. Bail was set at $20,000.

The man allegedly asked to see two tennis bracelets – a gift for his girlfriend, he claimed – then snatched them from the arm of the saleswoman and ran.

The …

Son’s ashes taken in truck prowl returned anonymously days later

Alexis Krell — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 22:09:33 +0000

The truck prowler kept the gemstones, but returned the ashes of the victim’s son.

Both were in the truck that was prowled April 9 at Chambers Bay Golf Course.

A metal briefcase taken had about 3,000 rare Oregon sunstone gemstones, two gold rings with sunstones, thirty silver sunstone rings, a gold sunstone bracelet, an iPhone 4 and a Kindle Fire, according to the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department.

A green Cabelas suitcase that was taken had the victim’s son’s ashes inside, which were anonymously mailed to the victim several days after the theft.

Anyone with information about the theft is asked to call …

Couple pleaded not guilty to stealing $10,000 in drugs from Puyallup hospital

Stacia Glenn — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 17:44:04 +0000

The box next to the man lying on a bench at a Puyallup hospital held a syringe and more than $10,000 worth of stolen drugs.

He told police his girlfriend, who was visiting a family member in the hospital, asked him to hold the drugs.

Pierce County prosecutors have charged the couple with first-degree theft for Monday’s disruption at Good Samaritan Hospital, which allegedly placed half of the fifth floor in lockdown while the theft was investigated.

Commissioner Meagan Foley set the 23-year-old woman’s bail at $15,000 and the 26-year-old boyfriend’s bail at $5,000. They both pleaded not guilty to …

Prosecutors: Fircrest cafe employee hid in bathroom during theft

Stacia Glenn — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 18:10:51 +0000

When the woman opening the Fircrest cafe caught a glimpse of the knife-wielding man with a bandana over his face, she locked herself in the bathroom.

Police had to watch surveillance footage to determine what happened Friday when a 29-year-old man allegedly broke into Café Elite about 5 a.m.

It shows the man climbing over a counter into the employee only area, grabbing the woman’s purse and trying to break into a cash register.

He then began kicking in the bathroom door where the female employee was hiding. He allegedly fled after the woman warned him that she’d called 911. …