Police Beat
Anacortes Police worked this past week on several cases of catalytic converters being stolen and several reports of fuel theft from parked cars.
On Sunday, March 6, a 47-year-old Ferndale man advised that the catalytic converter had been taken from his vehicle while he was parked at the Washington State Ferry Terminal. The responding officer took a photo of the vehicle and noted that a bolt was left behind on the ground, which appeared to be part of the exhaust system. Then, the next day three more cases were reported, two of which took place in the Guemes Ferry Terminal parking lot.
Meanwhile, fuel appeared to be stolen from multiple vehicles across three cases, all located on March’s Point Road and Reservation Road. The investigation continues. On Wednesday, a 33-year-old Burlington man advised that his gas tank had been drilled and about 25 gallons of fuel had been taken from it. He estimated that the cost of repair would be about $1,000. He pointed out that a drain pan had been left under the gas tank. The officer submitted the drain pan and photos of the damage as evidence.
Anacortes Police also investigated these other cases.
Friday, March 4, 2022
A 48-year-old Anacortes man reported that sometime overnight gas had possibly been stolen from his truck and items had been left behind. He informed the responding officer that he found his gas cap on the ground next to the truck that morning, and a gas can pour tube was sticking out of his vehicle’s fill hole. He estimated about five gallons of fuel had been siphoned from the vehicle. There are currently no suspects.
A 33-year-old Anacortes woman reported a vehicle prowl at the Guemes Island Ferry parking lot. She said that her car was broken into while parked in the parking lot and that items from the car’s glove box were resting on the passenger seat, though nothing appeared to be taken. She spoke of another instance in February when small items were taken from the car in the same location. She did not wish to pursue charges.
A manager at a local grocery store advised that a man who was banned from the store was in the store. Officers contacted the man, brought him to a patrol car and searched him. They found multiple items, which he claimed to have been purchased at a different grocery store before admitting to having taken them. The manager had observed the man holding the items but did not witness him putting them into his pockets. Officers also found debit cards, a driver’s license and a university ID card, none of which bore the man’s name. Officers also located what appeared to be heroin and a drug kit on the man’s person. Officers advised the man that he would receive a summons for second-degree burglary in the mail and packaged the apparent heroin for destruction.
Saturday, March 5, 2022
An officer was dispatched to a removal request in the 4700 block of Fidalgo Bay Road. Dispatch advised that a local resort wanted a 39-year-old Mount Vernon woman and her guests removed and banned. The responding officer arrived and spoke with the manager, who advised that the woman had been warned not to park on the grass near her space and that she and her guests had been causing a disturbance. The officer contacted the woman as she and an unidentified man helped her pack things up. She said she was in the process of leaving and denied the disturbances alleged by the manager. The officer banned her at the manager’s request.
A 41-year-old Anacortes woman advised that her vehicle had been hit earlier in the day while parked in front of her residence. An officer responded and found that her car had significant damage to the driver’s side. A neighbor with security cameras provided footage, and the officer sent out pictures to local law enforcement to identify the vehicle.
Sunday, March 6, 2022
There was a report of a broken toilet in the parking lot at the top of Cap Sante. An officer responded and swept the pieces out of the roadway into one pile and contacted the Anacortes Parks Department.
A 32-year-old Anacortes man reported that his father’s business had been broken into after he noticed the office appeared to have been rummaged through. About $541 worth of items, including $40 cash, appeared to have been taken.
Monday, March 7, 2022
A 51-year-old Anacortes woman reported a vehicle prowl that had occurred in her driveway. She said she suspected she and her husband had left the car unlocked after getting groceries, and she noticed it had been rummaged through. She estimated that about $91 worth of property was stolen.
An officer was dispatched to a removal request in the 3100 block of V Place. A 51-year-old Redmond woman reported that a third party had informed her that transients were staying on her property. An Anacortes woman and a La Conner man were banned.
An officer recognized a man with outstanding warrants while driving n patrol in the 1100 block of 24th Street. The warrants included first-degree robbery, first-degree kidnapping and second-degree taking a vehicle without permission. Officers arrested the man and transported him to Skagit County jail, where he was booked on his outstanding warrants.
Tuesday, March 8, 2022
Dispatch advised that a 21-year-old Anacortes man was reporting that his vehicle had been taken overnight. He owns the vehicle and values it at about $1,500, and he said he would like to pursue charges if the suspect can be identified.
A 46-year-old Anacortes man called to report a fraud in which he had received an email from his boss’s email address asking him to buy gift cards for a presentation. He purchased $600 worth of gift cards and sent photographs of the scratched-off codes to his boss’s email. He later realized that this was a scam and acknowledged that it would be extremely difficult to track down a suspect.
An officer was on patrol in the 2000 block of Commercial Avenue when he observed a vehicle turn onto Commercial against the red light. The officer conducted a traffic stop and observed a 35-year-old male driver, a male passenger and a 21-year-old female passenger. Dispatch advised that the driver had a warrant out for his arrest for escape from community custody. The female passenger had a warrant for vehicular assault under the influence. Both were arrested, and the woman was booked into Skagit County jail. The driver was transported to the state Department of Corrections office in Mount Vernon and transferred to the DOC’s custody.
Officers responded to a report of a burglary at a local grocery store. A 32-year-old Anacortes man had allegedly entered the business against an active trespass notice and concealed several items before exiting and not purchasing the items, which totaled to about $43. They also located a handwritten list on his person that was comprised of various objectives, including places to steal from and items to take. Officers arrested the man and transported him to Skagit County jail.
Wednesday, March 9, 2022
There was a one car vs. three cars and property, reportable, non-injury collision in the 2700 block of M Avenue. The at-fault driver was cited for second-degree negligent driving.
Thursday, March 10, 2022
A 72-year-old Anacortes business owner reported that his business had been cased the previous day. An officer looked up the vehicle and found that it had been associated with calls for service around Skagit County, including a prowl, drug problem, domestic and a welfare check. The man said that he observed another man walking through his warehouse before leaving and walking across the parking lot to the other building. The owner confronted the man, who said he was looking at the warehouse because he wanted a job. The owner asked why he didn’t just come to the front office, and the man said the warehouse was pretty big and that he wanted an application. The man had departed before the owner could give him an application. The owner requested extra patrols around his business.
