Stolen property recovered from 59 burglaries from Snohomish Co. to Ore.
Bins of stolen goods found in the storage unit. (Sammamish Police Dept.)
SAMMAMISH, Wash. -- Police said Monday they have recovered stolen property from a Puyallup South Hill storage unit that is linked to at least 59 burglaries from Snohomish County to Oregon.
"We identified victims from Kenmore, Woodinville, Newcastle, Maple Valley, Unincorporated King County, Bellevue, Bothell, Unincorporated Snohomish County, Kirkland, Redmond, Mill Creek, Unincorporated Pierce County, Tacoma, Thurston County, Fircrest, Olympia, as well as Portland, Tigard and Beaverton, Ore.," a Sammamish Police Department news release said.
Detectives discovered 66 bags, bins, safes and suitcases loaded with stolen property after serving a search warrant at Pierce County storage facility last Tuesday. Many of the bags contained jewelry, silver, sports memorabilia, and personal documents and photographs. One bag contained a soldier’s Purple Heart and Bronze Star military medals. At least seven firearms are still missing.
The search warrant is the culmination of joint investigation with Bellevue police detectives that began over two weeks ago when a male suspect was positively identified based on video surveillance from a Bellevue burglary victim’s home. The suspects, a 26-year-old male his 26-year-old girlfriend, are both Pierce County residents.
Detectives are in the process of identifying and contacting the victims and will make arrangements to return their property the coming weeks. They expect to file numerous additional criminal charges, including residential burglary, theft and possession of stolen property, against the two suspects. The male is in custody at the King County Jail. The female was booked and released.