Police Blotter: Parking lot pas-de-deux, guilty look was a giveaway

Parking lot pas-de-deux

July 10 – An officer was driving through a parking lot when a parked vehicle began backing out, then quickly pulled back into their spot after spotting the officer. Curious about this reaction, the officer searched the vehicle’s license plate and realized it was used in a shoplifting incident four days prior.

Police were in the parking lot at 6:20 p.m. at the 11300 block of 51st Avenue where the officer initially thought the driver was allowing the officer to pass by. Due to the driver’s expression, however, the officer chose to look up the license plate.

The officer approached the young female driver who stated she did not have her ID with her. The manager of the nearby store was called out, and he asserted the woman had shoplifted from his store. The woman was issued a criminal citation.

Gift card scam

July 11 – A woman received a call from someone claiming to be from Amazon. After a two-hour conversation, the caller convinced the woman that her account was hacked, and that she had to buy and read a him the card number of a $500 gift card.

Police were dispatched at 2:36 p.m. to the 3400 block of 50th St. Ct. after the woman figured the man on the phone was a scammer, and hung up. After the woman purchased the first gift card from a store, the man told her to go to Tacoma and purchase another card. At that moment the woman realized it was a scam and hung up.

The officer called the number and it took him to a doctor’s officer answering machine. The scammer apparently used a computer to spoof the woman’s phone number. There are currently no suspects.

This story was originally published July 15, 2020 at 12:23 PM.