Thieves use stolen Tacoma tow truck to yank ATM from Kitsap bank
Thieves used a semi tow truck to pull an ATM from a Kitsap County bank Monday morning. The truck had been stolen in Tacoma, and tools used in the theft were from a Pierce County fire department.
The suspects didn’t get away with their loot.
The Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office said deputies were dispatched to a theft in progress at the Chase Bank in South Park Village on Southeast Mile Hill Drive around 5:30 a.m. When they arrived, they found the tow truck, using a strap, had pulled the ATM from its foundation in a drive-thru lane.
A 31-year-old woman next to the truck ran when she saw the deputies but was quickly taken into custody. A man who also ran and was caught after a brief struggle with a deputy.
The 36-year-old man suspect dropped a black semiautomatic handgun at the scene, the Sheriff’s Office said. He is a convicted felon, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies discovered the tow truck had been stolen in Tacoma. They also discovered that a generator and so-called “jaws of life” tool that is normally used to free victims from auto crashes had been surplussed by the fire department. The suspects were using them to aid in the burglary, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
The man was booked into the Kitsap County Jail for first-degree theft, first-degree malicious mischief, possession of a stolen vehicle and unlawful possession of a firearm. His bail was set at $500,000.
The woman, a resident of Port Orchard, was booked for first-degree theft, first-degree malicious mischief, possession of a stolen vehicle and an outstanding warrant. Her bail is $302,500.
This story was originally published December 12, 2022 at 8:01 PM.
