Tag: theft
By Caleb Hutton
A former employee of a Bellingham luxury hotel must serve two weeks in jail for stealing eight TVs from his employer’s storage room.
The flat-screen televisions were reported stolen from a storage facility at the Hotel Bellwether on March 25, 2010. The facility was surrounded with a chain link fence and secured by a padlock. Police didn’t notice any sign of forced entry.
Five days later police discovered James Marchant, 37, an employee of the Bellwether, had pawned six TVs at Bellingham pawn shops the previous December and January, according to court records. The serial numbers matched the stolen TVs.
Marchant was sentenced in August to two weeks in jail for theft in the first degree. He started serving that sentence last week. Prosecutors recommended he serve his time on a work crew. He also has to pay back $1,500 to the hotel.
For the charging documents, click here.
Posted by Caleb Hutton
Text courtesy of the Blaine Police Department, with minor edits for style.
Wednesday, Sept. 19
9:15 a.m. A lady out for a walk on F Street in the morning morning happened upon a screaming contest between two women in an apartment complex parking lot. The passerby was concerned about the well-being of the little kids who were watching the melee, and called police. An officer responded and defused the disagreement, which had not turned physical. The two historical combatants were advised that their behavior was bordering on criminal disorderly conduct. They agreed to part ways, for the time being.
10:52 a.m. An security monitoring company alerted police when they received an alarm from an ATM machine at a Blaine bank on Martin Street. The scene looked momentarily promising to the officers who arrived and intercepted burly men at the ATM wielding a pneumatic jackhammer. It turned out that the ATM was still intact though. The crewmen were using their heavy tools to withdraw a broken water line from under the pavement nearby, and the hammering vibrations had upset the ATM’s delicate sense of safety.
11:33 a.m. Police responded when dispatchers reported that they had received a 911 hang-up call from a residence on Boblett Street. An officer contacted the homeowner, and learned that the only emergent issue at hand was the insatiable curiosity of the toddler who had sneaked the house phone off its hook. Apologies and parental commiserations were exchanged
and the dispatch center was advised of the outcome.
1:15 p.m. On Wednesday afternoon police were dispatched to a possible rollover collision on Yew Avenue south of Pipeline Road. When officers arrived they found a one-car crash with a driver waiting in his pickup truck, which was waiting in the brambles several yards off the road. The motorist explained that he had been driving legally when he drifted off the pavement after beginning to feel ill. His account was supported by both a passing motorist witness and the tracks at the scene. A medic unit evaluated the driver and advised he had not been injured in his off-road adventure. A tow truck then arrived to free his pickup truck, which sustained a few thousand dollars in damage.
4:11 p.m. An Everson resident brought her Acura Integra to a repair shop on Peace Portal Drive to have its clutch replaced. The shop owner did the work and the owner’s friend paid the $580 repair bill, providing their credit card information by telephone. The mechanic later learned that the credit card transaction had been fraudulent, and his account was debited. The tradesman was more than patient trying to work with the car owner but ultimately had to contact police about the fraud and theft of services. An officer transcribed the victim’s information and asked that it be forwarded to the prosecutor.
Thursday, Sept. 20
1:45 a.m. Police were called to a home on A Street when dispatchers received a 911 hang-up call from the residence. The arriving officers contacted a distraught woman who had been assaulted by her teenage son. The young man has reportedly been growing more violent recently, and tonight threatened to attack his mother, then ripped the phone off the wall
when she tried to call for help. Police booked the 17-year-old boy into detention for assault, interfering with a report of domestic violence and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Noon. A motorist called Blaine PD wanting to share a UFO sighting he had experienced the previous evening. He explained that he had been traveling on Peace Portal Drive about 9 p.m. when he first spotted the object in the sky to the west. It appeared to have a green glow, red lights on its fringe, and was moving up and down very quickly. The witness said that by the time he pulled over, the object had disappeared. An officer explained that the object and its strange lights were most likely the small remote controlled airplane that has lately been frequently spotted over Drayton Harbor by local sky watchers.
1:22 p.m. Police and fire units responded to an activated smoke alarm at a shopping center on H Street. The emergency team tracked the source of the problem to an employee who had intended to just heat a tortilla, but apparently found the microwave’s hidden setting for incinerate. The crew silenced the alarm and reset the fire control system, and left the employee to defrost his boss.
3:24 p.m. Blaine Middle School officials called police to report the theft of a student’s shoes from the gymnasium. The shoes were recovered and returned to their owner. A fellow student was arrested for the theft and released to his parent pending a referral to the juvenile court.
7:40 p.m. A Blaine resident called police from Madison Street when she received a fraudulent telephone message from a man claiming to be a Drug Enforcement Administration agent in Colorado. The recorded message made outlandish accusations and demanded a return call. The number and message turned out to be consistent with a known telemarketing scam. The resident wisely did not take any action based on the call beyond calling law enforcement, and did not suffer a loss.
8:48 p.m. Customs personnel at the Peace Arch contacted Blaine police when they encountered two minors in possession of alcohol. A Blaine officer responded to investigate. The 19-year-old travelers admitted that they owned the $200 worth of liquor which they tucked into their car for the trip from Canada back home to Bellingham. Both men were arrested, cited and released with mandatory court appearance dates. Their five bottles of booze were placed into evidence pending a hearing.
Sunday, Sept. 23
8:55 p.m. A resident on F Street called police to report harassment and disorderly conduct. She explained that she had been sitting in her car just outside her apartment, talking on her phone when a next door neighbor came outside and started screaming profanities at her. An officer responded, documented the incident, and interviewed witnesses to the suspect’s brutish behavior. Written statements were obtained and a case report was forwarded for prosecution. The suspect was contacted and advised that since warnings had proven ineffective, this and any of her future violations of the public peace would be resolved in criminal court.
Monday, Sept. 24
12:05 p.m. An onsite apartment manager on Runge Avenue reported a theft from the complex when he discovered that a half dozen window blinds of various dimensions had been removed from one of the apartments. Three unidentified men had been allowed into the unit a few days earlier to obtain property left by a previous tenant, and it is suspected they helped themselves to the window dressings in the process. The loss is estimated at about $200.
1:35 p.m. A contractor working at a home on Kingsley Avenue reported the theft of construction equipment and electrical wiring. Some time between late Saturday afternoon and Monday morning, 80 feet of high-amperage power cable, three electrical cord units and two ladders were stolen. The loss is estimated at almost $800. This is the second construction site theft in central Blaine in the past week.
1:47 p.m. Residents in a gated community neighborhood reported the unauthorized cutting of trees and landscaping near their homes. It appeared that someone, possibly with a motive of an improved view, had vandalized three trees and other landscaping in the area. Police are investigating to determine if municipal code violations have been committed, and the gated community’s residence association has been advised.
Monday, Sept. 25
Posted by Caleb Hutton
Text courtesy of the Blaine Police Department, with minor edits for style.
Tuesday, Sept. 11
9:25 p.m. A woman called police from Boblett Street to report her purse had been stolen earlier in the day from the business where she works in Blaine. The victim had delayed making a report until she was able to get home from work and check that she had not left the purse at home. She had already notified her credit card companies and banks, and had cancelled the service to the cell phone she had been carrying. Officers are investigating.
Wednesday, Sept. 12
3:53 a.m. A Blaine resident angry over marital problems kept his family awake most of the night with his laments at a home on Fifth Street. Law enforcement eventually got involved when the man called 911 and reported his wife had attacked him, cutting him with a knife. Police responded to the home and were assisted by U.S. Border Patrol agents in making sure the couple and their children were unharmed and unarmed. When it became evident no one was buying his story, the man admitted he had made up the knife attack story out of spite. The officers then conducted a false reporting investigation for the prosecutor, and transported the man to a relative’s house so his wife and kids could get some sleep.
4:57 p.m. Officers responded to an emergency call on the pedestrian path adjacent to Semiahmoo Parkway, and found an injured woman being tended to by her husband. The couple had been bicycling on the path when the lady fell and struck her head, which was not protected by a helmet. The victim was transported to hospital by medics.
5:09 p.m. A Birch Bay family called Blaine Police to report their child’s saxophone had been stolen from the Blaine Middle School sometime over the past week. An officer was not able to responded to contact the victims at the time of the report, and they filed a written statement about the $260 loss. There are no suspects at this time.
6:09 p.m. Police were dispatched to an apartment complex on F Street to once again intercede in an ongoing disagreement between neighbors. This time one of the ladies was upset because she had been sitting outside in a common area enjoying the afternoon shade, when her nemesis came out and started taking photographs of her. The photographer was contacted, and she explained that the landlord had instructed her to take pictures of anything that she found bothersome. On the upside, at least they’re shooting cameras.
Thursday, Sept. 13
4:31 p.m. A woman called police to report that she had forgotten her purse at a business, and when she returned to pick it up the purse was gone. An officer responded to the D Street business, but arrived to find that the victim was now gone as well. Apparently she wanted to avoid the embarrassment of explaining that she had discovered that her purse had just been set aside by store employees to keep it safe.
Friday, Sept. 14
8:05 a.m. A resident near Eighth and D streets reported her cat was fine when it went outside about noon, but it limped home injured about 1:30 p.m. The lady took her pet to the vet, and discovered that the animal had been shot with a pellet gun which fractured one of its legs. Surgery was required to remove the projectile repair the limb. Police and animal control were notified and are canvassing the neighborhood to locate witnesses who have seen anyone using a BB or pellet gun in the area. Under investigation.
9:13 a.m. An electrician working on a home construction on Eighth Street discovered that 50 feet of various sizes of copper wiring had been cut out and stolen from the site. Under investigation.
3:06 p.m. A car owner reported that two magnetic signs advertising an Air Brush Tanning business had been stolen while the car was parked in a business lot on Martin Street. There are no suspects in the theft.
Saturday, Sept. 15
8:50 p.m. A person called from Runge Avenue to report that her roommate had physically assaulted her. Officers responded to investigate and found evidence of a verbal dispute but not a physical assault. The call did yield an unexpected surprise in that the roommate was wanted on arrest warrants, and the 37-year-old woman was booked into jail.
Sunday, Sept. 16
11:42 a.m. Police received a report that a refrigerator trailer had been stolen from its parking spot on Peace Portal Drive. The trailer was empty at the time, and police are investigating the $20,000 theft.
Tuesday, Sept. 18
1:30 a.m. A pedestrian too intoxicated to peddle was walking his bicycle on E Street when a stranger assaulted him and stole his bike. The victim stumbled to safety a couple blocks away and called 911. Police were in the area at the time of the call but were unable to located the suspect or the victim’s bike. He was given a ride home and left with stolen property report forms to complete when he was awake and feeling better.
5:07 a.m. Blaine Police were called to assist sheriffs deputies with a possible burglary in progress in the 8000 block of Harborview Road. An officer assisted county units in locating and contacting five subjects in the area.
By Caleb Hutton
Two teens said they stole alcohol and candy from a Bellingham Fred Meyer “out of boredom” and because some girls asked them to, according to Bellingham police.
Security guards stopped the teens, aged 16 and 18, at 3:50 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 29, and accused them of taking candy and vodka from Fred Meyer, 800 Lakeway Drive.
Police arrived and read them their Miranda Rights. The teens admitted they “stole the alcohol out of boredom and wanting to have some fun, plus some girls asked them to get them alcohol,” according to Bellingham police logs. (See case number 12B32197.)
Both were cited for theft in the third degree and minor in possession of alcohol.
The elder teen, Jamie Mitchell Sears, will face the charges as an adult. His alleged accomplice, who is still a juvenile in the eyes of the law, was released to his mom.
Posted by Caleb Hutton
Text courtesy of the Blaine Police Department, with minor edits for style.
Wednesday, Aug. 22
8:36 a.m. A business on Pipeline Road reported that a battery had been stolen overnight from a commercial truck parked on their property. The battery will cost about $300 to replace, while the damage the thief did to the truck will cost about $500 to repair.
Thursday, Aug. 23
11:11 a.m. A couple on Mitchell Street left home for a few hours during the day and returned to find that a burglar had gotten in through an unsecured window. The thief or thieves stole a small amount of cash and smashed a Tinkerbell cookie jar. The loss is estimated at about $50, and police are investigating.
Friday, Aug. 24
2:50 p.m. A resident on Blaine Avenue reported that a package delivery service had brought a package to her house while he was not at home, and left it on the porch. Someone stole the box before she arrived to collect it. It had contained children’s toys and clothing. Police are investigating.
Saturday, Aug. 25
11:30 p.m. A passerby called police late at night to report that a juvenile was sneaking around a car parked on Martin Street with a flashlight. Officers found and contacted the young man sleeping in the back of the vehicle. He was visiting his aunt but found the small home too crowded for sleeping, so he decided to spend the night in the auto. The boy’s story checked out, and officers wished him a good night.
Sunday, Aug. 26
4:04 a.m. A person called 911 numerous times to find out if police had responded to an earlier call he had made about a possible crash on the freeway. Officers responded and explained that officers had responded to the call and that officers simply had not used their sirens while responding. The intoxicated man thanked officers and agreed to stop calling 911 for the night.
10:26 a.m. A resident called police to check the welfare of her neighbor, whom she had not seen nor been able to contact for some time. An officer scaled the neighbor’s fence and peered through the missing woman’s kitchen window. He could see the lady inside, washing dishes about three feet away, and called to her by name. Following a B-movie worthy scream, the woman came outside and was reunited with her concerned neighbor. No dishes were destroyed during the event.
5:10 p.m. Officers responded to assist Ferndale police and the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office with report of a vehicle that was driving slowly on the freeway blocking a lane of travel northbound. Officers arrived to assist with the contact of the occupants. They determined the driver was from a foreign land and was not aware of U.S. traffic laws and our version of courteous driving behavior.
Monday, Aug. 27
8 a.m. The city received information about a business on D Street possibly selling liquor to minors and cigarettes to underaged kids. The information was forward to patrol officers and the state liquor control board.
Tuesday, Aug. 28
1:01 p.m. Blaine Police were dispatched to the Peace Arch border crossing after a fledgling post-modern baker arrived at the border with a bag of fresh baked brownies which contained a special ingredient prohibited by law. A Blaine officer confirmed that the baked goods indeed had suspected marijuana in them via a chemical field test. The Oregon resident was arrested, cited and released with the court date for the offense.
Wednesday, Aug. 29
8:36 a.m. A customer reported he purchased a $1413.56 watch on Ebay, but when he came to pick up the watch at his post office box, the package was empty. The victim had tried unsuccessfully to contact the seller, and Ebay advised a police report was needed in order to reimburse his money. Officers are assisting in the matter.
By Samantha Wohlfeil
SUDDEN VALLEY – A man suspected of taking two rings from a jewelry box while installing carpet in a home on Winter Creek Place was arrested early Friday, Aug. 10.
Kenny Roy William Littrell, 27, stole two rings from the home while installing carpet with a relative, said Whatcom County Undersheriff Jeff Parks.
He later told deputies he sold one of the rings, but lost the other.
The total value of the jewelry was $9,470, Parks said.
Littrell was booked into Whatcom County Jail about 4 a.m. Friday for investigation of first-degree theft and first-degree trafficking stolen property.
By Samantha Wohlfeil
BELLINGHAM — A woman was arrested Monday, July 23, on suspicion of stealing from a store for the second time in two days, and the third time in less than a month.
Terry Ann Humphreys, 40, was cited and released on July 6 by Bellingham Police for stealing from a Kmart and again on July 22 for stealing from a Rite Aide, said Bellingham Police spokesman Mark Young.
On Monday, police arrested Humphreys on suspicion of stealing clothes, alcohol and other items from the Target at Bellis Fair. She was booked into Whatcom County Jail.
Normally, third-degree theft is a misdemeanor, but if someone is cited on three times within 180 days, the charge becomes retail theft with extenuating circumstances, a felony.
Humphreys’ criminal history includes felonies for forgery and second-degree theft. She was sentenced June 4 to three months in jail for stealing her cousin’s food stamp card in April. Judge Steven Mura said she could serve the time in work release.
By Caleb Hutton
LUMMI RESERVATION — A Blaine woman was sentenced to 30 days in jail for trying to steal a lost wallet.
In March, another woman was playing the slot machines at the Silver Reef Casino when she “unknowingly dropped her wallet on the floor,” according to charging documents. The wallet had debit and credit cards inside.
Surveillance cameras caught Julie Rene Wilburn, 53, picking up the wallet. She took the wallet to her car.
Wilburn confessed to the theft after casino employees confronted her. When the wallet was returned, the victim’s debit and credit cards were still inside, but a Fandango gift card and $20 were missing.
Wilburn pleaded guilty to second-degree theft in April. She started serving her sentence Wednesday, June 27. In a plea deal, charges of methamphetamine possession — filed in a separate case a couple months earlier — were dropped by prosecutors.
Wilburn had a handful of gross misdemeanors on her record. This was her first felony.
By Caleb Hutton
A 22-year-old Bellingham man was accused of leaving Left Right Left, 113 W. Holly St., wearing a $170 pair of shoes he didn’t pay for.
The man, Nathaniel Jacob London, was tracked down quickly by officers on Wednesday afternoon, June 13, with help from a unique suspect description, said Bellingham police spokesman Mark Young.
London was carrying a guitar, had a cross shaved into the back of his head and was wearing a brand new pair of green shoes.
He was cited and released for theft.
Young wasn’t sure what model of shoes the suspect took; the owner of the shoe store declined to comment when reached by phone Thursday afternoon.
In 2008, London was sentenced to four months in jail and ordered to pay more than $13,500 in restitution for a theft scheme. Here are the charges and sentencing documents in that case.
By Caleb Hutton
From the always entertaining Blaine police blotter:
Thursday, May 10. At 10:45 p.m., a Blaine resident called police late at night while searching for a fleet-footed Chihuahua that leapt from a parked car at his home and disappeared. The canine, named Kuna, was last seen running on A Street, adjacent to the international border.
Friday, May 11. At 2:02 p.m., police were dispatched when a trio of tiny thieves raided store’s ice cream chest and high tailed it outside to Bell Road with their high-calorie loot.
They lived nearby, and were tracked down by a store employee with the help of their guardian. The eldest of the three was not yet 6 years old, so the business accepted payment for the goods and the crime was resolved with a lecture.
At 3:47 p.m., passersby called police when they saw two very large men trying to force a teenage boy into a vehicle near Boblett Street and Borderite Way. Officers arrived at the melee to discover that the men were employees of a transport company. They had been assigned to take the boy out-of-state to a youth facility at the request of his parents.
Unfortunately no one told the teenager about this plan, so he did his best to fight off the brawny pair before they handcuffed him and put him in their car. When police arrived the boy was freed, then taken to hospital by medics for evaluation of injuries he received during his capture. Officers are interviewing witnesses and compiling a report for prosecutor review of possible charges against the two men. (This case number was filed by Blaine police as a second-degree assault.)
Saturday, May 12. At 3:32 p.m., officers received a report of an erratically driven vehicle on Odell Road. An investigation yielded mutual complaints about hurled epithets and flung fingers. The matter was resolved with a discussion.
Sunday, May 13. At 8:46 p.m., police were dispatched to a resident’s call that a neighbor had entered his house on D Street without permission. The neighbor was interviewed and denied entering the house, but admitted to opening up a sliding door to fix the complainant’s curtain. Statements were obtained and a report was forwarded to the prosecutor for review of the trespassing complaint.
Tuesday, May 15. At 10:50 a.m., a vendor contacted police to report that a propane-driven floor stripper and two five-gallon silver-colored aluminum propane canisters had been stolen while he was working on at a business site on H Street. The loss totals more than $5,000. The case is under investigation.
At 11:55 a.m., a man contacted police to report seeing a suspicious man lurking around his house, on B Street, and knocking on his door. The suspect had left a half hour earlier. An officer located the suspect and found that he was a Blaine resident inquiring if the property was for sale.
(Copy/pasted, with minor edits for style.)
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