Seattle man suspected of breaking into Gig Harbor houses to steal credit cards arrested
A 24-year-old Seattle man suspected of breaking into several occupied homes in Gig Harbor last year to steal wallets and purses was arrested Wednesday, according to police.
The man and another suspect who police are still working to find allegedly burglarized three homes the night of Nov. 29 and in the early hours of the next morning in a northern area of Gig Harbor near Borgen Loop. At the time, Gig Harbor Police Department said the suspects were linked to other burglary and theft incidents in Kitsap and King counties.
Police said the Seattle man was booked into Pierce County Jail on suspicion of three counts of residential burglary, three counts of second-degree theft and 15 counts of financial fraud. He was arrested in the Seattle area during a check-in with his probation officer, police said. The News Tribune generally does not name suspects of crimes until they have been formally charged.
Investigators said burglars entered the Gig Harbor homes through unlocked doors and windows. According to the release, the suspects tried to get into several other houses. Video from one residence’s Ring camera showed a man peering inside the home and then walking away.
Police Chief Kelly Busey said the man in the video was arrested Wednesday. Police said the second suspect has been identified.
“Again, an unusual crime for us and one that we prioritized,” Busey said. “We certainly want to respond to a crime of this magnitude with everything we’ve got.”
Detectives identified the man as a suspect after he and the other break-in suspect used debit and credit cards stolen from the houses at businesses in Bellevue and Tumwater, according to police. Busey said detectives obtained surveillance video that showed unique identifiers of the men, and he said a tipster helped lead them in the right direction.
“We were able to corroborate the use of those cards, get some better pictures of them from the stores, corroborate that with the tip we received and there we go,” Busey said.
This story was originally published January 18, 2023 at 3:33 PM.
