Police agencies join forces to nab ‘prolific’ suspected Tacoma car thief
A Tacoma 18-year-old allegedly linked to car thefts in King County and Seattle is facing multiple criminal charges following a long-term investigation involving at least five different law enforcement agencies, according to a Renton Police Department news release.
The man was arrested Nov. 14 at his Tacoma home by RPD detectives backed by a SWAT team, and booked into the Maleng Regional Justice Center in Kent. His bail was set at $150,000. King County prosecutors charged him with two counts of motor vehicle theft, two counts of possessing a stolen vehicle, identity theft and firearm theft.
According to the news release, the man specialized in cloning key fobs, and posted an online video of himself cloning the fob of a stolen SUV. Charges also accuse him of using a victim’s credit card and stealing firearms.
During the arrest and search of the man’s residence, investigators found eight weapons, hundreds of ammunition rounds and key fob cloning devices, the news release said. One of the weapons was a modified handgun that could fire like an automatic machine gun.
The man also faces a separate investigation by Tacoma police related to unspecified incidents and potential pending charges in Pierce County. Tacoma police detectives worked closely with their counterparts in Renton during the investigation. Recently, they noticed a trend of stolen cars being dumped in the 72nd block of the Pacific Avenue area believed to be connected with the case, said TPD Spokesperson Sergeant John Correa.
The Renton police statement noted that the man’s alleged crimes occurred while he was on bail for a different case in Seattle where he posted a $50,000 bond earlier this year. The earlier charges include attempted motor vehicle theft, unlawful possession of a machine gun, obstructing law enforcement, making or having tools for vehicle theft and vehicle prowl.
