Sheriff’s log: Gas thief blew up own car. Then his burns gave him away

Arrest in Wauna fuel theft, fire

A Lakewood police officer became suspicious when a driver stopped for a traffic violation in that city appeared to be badly burned. A records check revealed that the driver was a suspect in a car fire at a Wauna gas station on Jan. 22. The 2:28 a.m. car fire in the 9500 block of State Route 302 was so intense that fire fighters had to use foam to get it under control. A partially torn fuel bladder filled with fuel was found inside the vehicle. Witnesses identified the suspect and said that he was trying to siphon gas and was burned when the vehicle caught fire. The 31-year-old suspect was cited for driving violations. The gas theft investigation is ongoing.

Forcible burglary on Ray Nash Drive

A man was checking his mail in the 7400 block of Ray Nash Dr. NW on Feb. 8 when he noticed that his neighbor’s front door appeared to be have been forced open. He called 911 and a deputy arrived to find that the door had indeed been forced and its frame was shattered. Nobody was inside the home, but it had been ransacked and numerous pieces of jewelry were missing. The deputy learned that the owner is currently out of state.

East Gig Harbor burglary interrupted

A homeowner in the 2300 block of 89th St. Ct. NW came home on Feb. 6 to find her dog locked in her home office. The back door was open and there was a black duffle bag filled with electronics sitting next to it. She called 911. Deputies searching the house found drawers pulled out and the entire house had been ransacked. The victim’s vacation money, kept in a drawer, was missing. There was a ladder propped up against the back deck. It appears that the homeowner interrupted the burglary and the suspect fled out the back door without the bag of electronics.

This story was originally published February 17, 2021 at 5:30 AM.