Burglary crew uses decoy dog during multiple break-ins at Puyallup, WA business
Burglary crew uses decoy dog in Pierce County break-ins
Investigators say in this bizarre case, a woman appeared to walk by the business with a dog first, possibly in order to scope out the place before a crew of men moved in to steal thousands of dollars worth of items from trailers outside.
PUYALLUP, Wash. - Crime Stoppers is offering a $1,000 reward to help catch a crew of burglars that were caught on camera, stealing from a small business in Puyallup eight times within the past couple of weeks.
Investigators say in this bizarre case, a woman appeared to walk by the business with a dog first, possibly in order to scope out the place before a crew of men moved in to steal thousands of dollars worth of items from trailers outside.
The suspects were caught on security cameras wearing hats that partially covered their faces, so it's the four-legged member of this burglary crew that might end up giving them away.
What they're saying:
"They just came back repeatedly, over and over and over," said Matthew Arnold, President of Betschart Mechanical.
Arnold says when he checked his security cameras, the furry member of the pack really stood out.
"They actually brought the dog here," said Arnold.
The dog, a tan and white pit-bull type dog, was caught on camera being walked by a white woman with dark hair.
"They were trying to make it look like they were, you know, giving their dog a potty break," said Arnold. "They took the dog on potty breaks in the middle of their escapades here."
A group of men using multiple vehicles wasn't far behind, loading up $50,000 to $100,000 in equipment, tools and supplies.
"We kept locking the trailers at night, but they just kept cutting the locks off," said Arnold.
One man was caught on camera, pictured below, carrying what Arnold said was a collapsible tote to later fill with stolen items.
"They literally cleaned one of the trailers pretty much completely out," said Arnold.
He says the men did not get inside the business, but stuck to breaking into trailers on the exterior.
Arnold says the crew may have been using a number of different types of vehicles, including a black Dodge Ram truck, a white van, a black sedan, a white SUV and a motorcycle.
Clues including different colored wheels on the black sedan, and dents in both the car and truck could help solve the case.
Deputy Carly Cappetto with the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office says the dog could also help to sniff out who's responsible.
"These suspects are clearly career criminals," said Deputy Carly Cappetto. "We are hoping that the community will recognize some of those unique features, such as the dog. ‘Oh I’ve seen that dog around the community with so-and-so’."
Arnold says the woman stole another curious item that could bear fruit in the search for suspects. He says she went plum picking from the fruit trees next door while the theft was underway.
"She brought a sack and filled up a sack of plums," said Arnold. "In one of those pictures on Crime Stoppers, she’s carrying a bag and that bag is full of plums."
The woman is shown carrying a bag while walking the dog below.
Arnold hopes that the public can ID the suspects involved in this case, including those on both two legs, and four. He says the eight burglaries and attempted burglaries stretched from around August 25th - September 1st.
"It would be great for these guys to get caught and not continue to do this to other people," said Arnold.
Arnold has since added a security officer to patrol the grounds. Since that officer has been added, there hasn't been another theft.
Crime Stoppers is offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to an arrest. You can remain anonymous when reporting a tip to Crime Stoppers. You can call 1-800-22-TIPS (8477) or by using the P3 Tips app.
The sheriff's office is also looking for other residents or businesses who may have been targeted by this crew. If you think they may have been responsible for a crime in your area, contact the Pierce County Sheriff's Office.
The Source: Information in this story came from the Pierce County Sheriff's Office, Crime Stoppers and FOX 13 Seattle reporting.
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