This week’s police cases include: more thefts involving an
84-year-old man who a neighbor said is faking dementia… A Port Orchard
man suspected of driving a boat while drunk...An Anacortes man said his
checking account was missing $2,600.
Friday, July 24
An Anacortes man reported that he had checked his bank account and discovered that his checking account was approximately $2,600 less than he believed. The man checked with his bank and discovered that two of his checks had been made payable to a relative without his authorization and that his signature appeared to have been forged on the checks. The matter is under further investigation.
Saturday, July 25
A witness interrupted a man who appeared to be trying to break into a pickup parked in a marina parking lot in the 1000 block of Q Avenue. The witness had seen the man climb into the back of the pickup, open a window, and then lean inside and rummage around. The witness contacted the man and the man told the witness he was looking for food. The man then jumped out of the pickup, displayed a small pocket knife, and then ran off into the nearby woods leaving his bicycle behind. Police were unable to locate the unknown man, but his bicycle was taken as evidence.
A 40-year-old man was arrested on assault charges after he allegedly choked his wife at their home in the 2900 block of B Avenue. The wife reported that her husband had started pushing her around after they returned home from an evening out. The wife said that he became more upset and that he grabbed her around the neck and cut off her air supply. The woman had visible redness on her neck. The husband admitted that he had been involved in a shoving match with his wife and he claimed that his wife had choked him although no marks were visible. The husband claimed the lack of marks were because he had “tough skin.” He was booked into jail for domestic violence assault.
An officer stopped a car driven by a 32-year-old Anacortes woman on Oakes Avenue for speeding. In addition to having a suspended driver’s license, the woman had two warrants for her arrest out of Skagit County District Court for previous drug and reckless driving charges. The woman was cited for the license violation and arrested on the warrants. She was then released after being given new court dates as the jail would not accept her due to overcrowding.
The neighbor of an 84-year-old Anacortes man who had previously reported that the man had given her gifts that were later determined to be stolen reported that the man had given her another “gift.” The neighbor said that the man had given her a $150 crystal butter dish with the price tag still attached from a business in the 600 block of Commercial Avenue. The neighbor took the dish to the business where it was confirmed it had been stolen. The business also discovered it was missing a silver pendant and a teacup and saucer set. The neighbor reported that the man was of “sound mind” who faked dementia when confronted, and that he had told her that the police wouldn’t arrest him due to his age. The man had been suspected of shoplifting on numerous previous occasions, and his most recent victim business expressed the desire to pursue criminal charges. Contact with the man is pending.
An Idaho woman reported that someone had keyed the driver’s door of her Ford pickup while she had been parked at a store in the 900 block of 11th Street. Police spoke with two men who had been parked nearby, but there was no evidence that they had been responsible for the damage.
A 16-year-old Arlington boy was cited for driving without a valid license, having no liability insurance, and hit and run after the car he was driving struck another vehicle on Whistle Lake Road and then fled the scene. The other vehicle was driven by a 25-year-old Oak Harbor man and he reported that the fleeing car had been traveling at a high rate of speed and then had swerved and then struck his vehicle head on. Neither the man nor his passenger was injured. The boy was located at his father’s home in Anacortes and he told an officer he had fled because he was “scared.” The boy’s father was also issued a citation after he admitted he had knowingly allowed his son to drive without a valid license.
A 27-year-old New Jersey man told police that he had been assaulted while walking in the 1000 block of 4th Street and that the unknown assailants had stolen his money clip containing his ID, a debit card, $80 in cash, and his Transportation Workers Identification Card. The man was vague and gave conflicting accounts in describing the suspects and the details of the assault. The man claimed he had been hit in the face by one of the suspects after he had been kicked out of a downtown bar for being intoxicated, but he had no visible marks or injuries. The man also told officers that he might just have dropped his wallet and was unsure if had been actually stolen. There were no witnesses to provide information about what actually occurred.
Sunday, July 26
A red 21-speed mountain bike valued at $100 was reported stolen from the front yard of a house in the area of 10th Street and J Avenue where the victim had been house-sitting.
Unknown vandals dented the side of a Ford pickup, broke the wiring out of 4 crab pots, pulled the plastic molding off the front door, and broke the front porch light at a house in the 1200 block of 4th Street. It appeared that the crab pots had been damaged when they were stood on or jumped on.
The US Coast Guard detained a 44-year-old Port Orchard man and towed his boat to the launch area at Washington Park after it was suspected that the man had been boating while under the influence of alcohol near Cypress Island. Anacortes Police officers assisted by giving the man a breathalyzer test in which he provided two samples over the legal limit. The man faces possible criminal charges to be determined by the Coast Guard.
A 49-year-old Anacortes man allegedly violated a court order by going to a home in the 1600 block of 12th Street where his estranged wife lived. The order prohibited the man from going to the house. The man was then located in his car at a downtown area marina where he admitted he had gone to the house because he wanted to see his daughter even though he had been served the court order earlier in the day. The man also smelled strongly of intoxicants and admitted that he had “a couple.” The man performed poorly on field sobriety tests and was placed under arrest. He was taken to the police station where he provided breath samples that were over the legal limit. The man was cited for DUI and then booked into jail on charges of violating the no-contact order.
Monday, July 27
A Guemes Island resident arrived in Anacortes and discovered that his Honda Accord had been stolen from the Guemes Ferry parking lot in the 500 block of I Avenue. The victim discovered broken glass in the parking space where he had parked the car. It was later learned that the missing car had been found damaged and abandoned near the I-5 Kincaid Street exit in Mount Vernon and that the Washington State Patrol had impounded the car. The car thief is unknown at this time.
Employees of a downtown dental office used a broom to chase away a bat that had been flying around the front entrance.
A 15 horsepower Yamaha boat motor valued at $1,200 and a 5 gallon gas can were stolen off of a runabout boat that was moored at a marina in the 1300 block of Commercial Avenue. A safety chain securing the motor to the boat transom was also missing. Other boat owners in the area were contacted but had not seen anything suspicious.
An officer on foot patrol in the Whistle Lake area issued a 22-year-old Mount Vernon man a criminal citation for drinking beer in violation of park rules. The man said that he knew he shouldn’t have been drinking in the City forest lands.
An officer stopped a car in the 1100 block of Commercial Avenue after seeing it fail to stop at a stop sign and making an illegal turn. The driver was identified as a 19-year-old Anacortes woman who smelled strongly of intoxicants and had slurred speech. The woman claimed that she had not been drinking although she performed poorly on field sobriety tests including providing a portable breath test that almost twice the legal limit. The woman was placed under arrest for drunk driving and underage drinking. Due to the woman being unable to remove her tongue stud, she was taken to the hospital where she gave blood samples. DUI and MIP charges are forthcoming when the blood test results are received.
Tuesday, July 28
A 61-year-old Anacortes man reported that he had been riding his bicycle through a restaurant parking lot in the 1300 block of Commercial Avenue a week earlier when his ex-girlfriend drove up behind him in her car and tapped her bumper in his back tire. The man said that the contact caused him to fall off his bike and scrape and bruise his arm. The woman then allegedly made an obscene gesture and drove away. When asked why he waited a week to contact the police, the man said that he did not want her to get in trouble, but it was learned that the woman had served the man with a restraining order earlier in the day. Police had yet to speak with the woman.
A homeowner in the 3700 block of W. 10th Street reported that he believed someone had tried to possibly get into his house during the night. The man found some sawhorses that were usually stacked near a gate had been knocked over and leaning against a garage door. The garden had also been trampled and a secure garage door was found slightly ajar. Nothing appeared to be missing though.
A woman reported her car had been struck while it had been legally parked curbside in the 1900 block of Island View Place. The woman’s car sustained damage to its rear bumper. The offending vehicle is unknown.
A 44-year-old transient female was arrested in an alley in the 1200 block of 4th Street for having 5 misdemeanor warrants and one felony warrant for previous theft and theft of motor vehicle crimes. The woman was booked into jail.
An officer stopped a car driven by a 20-year-old Anacortes man near the Skatepark as the driver was not wearing a seatbelt. As the officer approached the car, the man immediately began yelling obscenities at the officer. The officer informed the man he needed to stop swearing and making a commotion as there were kids in the vicinity. The man continued to scream profanities and threatened to harm the officer. The man was then arrested for disorderly conduct. He was issued a citation and released. The man said that he had “anger issues” and that threatening the officer had been inappropriate, but that he was going to fight the citation because it was a “joke.”
A Marysville woman reported that she had inadvertently left her purse at a restaurant in the 1700 block of Commercial Avenue. The woman said that when she returned to the restaurant, her purse was missing and the employees said that they had not seen it. The purse contained numerous credit cards, a checkbook, and approximately $100 in cash.
Wednesday, July 29
A mailbox at a residence in the 3400 block of W. 3rd Street was dented and had its flag knocked off when it was struck by an older dark colored SUV. The homeowner saw the vehicle swerve to strike the mailbox, but was unable to obtain its license.
A Trek mountain bike valued at $275 was reported stolen from in front of an apartment in the 3600 block of Michelle Lane. The theft occurred sometime during the night.
A 62-year-old Anacortes woman was arrested for shoplifting at a store in the 900 block of 11th Street after a loss prevention employee saw the woman conceal several items in her purse and leave the store without paying. The woman had attempted to steal three bottles of wine, a box of bandages, and four cans of cat food. The woman told an officer that her son had recently passed away and that she was going to use the wine for his memorial service. She had no explanation for the cat food and band-aids though. She was cited for theft and released, and also banned from the store for a year.
A 40-year-old Anacortes man was arrested for domestic violence assault after his wife reported that he had assaulted her while at a restaurant in the 12400 block of Christiansen Road. The woman reported that they couple was going through a divorce, and that the man was upset because she had begun to see another man. The man allegedly arrived at the restaurant to meet the woman and then struck her with an open palm in the nose. The woman had a small scratch on her nose and a witness confirmed the man had hit her. The man was located at a home on Slice Street where he was taken into custody and then transported to jail. The man said that the woman had swung at him first and missed, and that he responded by “flicking” her in the nose.
Thursday, July 30
A resident of the 3900 block of J Avenue reported that someone had stolen his older Mazda pickup from where it was parked in front of his house sometime during the night. The vehicle had been unlocked. An officer then checked the area and found the pickup near a vacant house at the intersection of 36th Street and N Avenue. The dash, steering column, and other parts of the interior appeared to be damaged, but the pickup owner said that the vehicle had already been in that condition. The pickup thief remains unknown.
An employee of a grocery in the 1500 block of Commercial Avenue saw an unknown man shove some packages of meat into his pants and then flee the store. The man then got into a white Ford Focus in the parking lot driven by an unknown woman and drove away. The employee obtained a license for the vehicle and the registration returned to a woman living in La Conner. The theft is under further investigation.
Someone entered a home during the nighttime hours in the 1100 block of 36th Street through the front door that had been left open during the heat wave. The unknown burglar then stole a MacIntosh laptop computer and $100.00 from a wallet that were near the door.
The director of a retirement home in the 1300 block of O Avenue reported several unauthorized credit card purchases after it was discovered that the business was missing one of their corporate credit cards. An initial tally of the charges exceeded $1,000 and the business was checking for more fraudulent purchases. The director provided the name of a possible suspect and the matter is under further investigation.
Friday, July 31
A Mount Vernon man reported that he was missing the title to the car he had purchased two days earlier. The man said that the document had been in the center console of the car and that he believed it had been stolen from the car sometime while he had been in Anacortes, although he said that he had made several other stops outside of town.
An officer saw a car driven by a 24-year-old Anacortes woman back away from a stop line after sitting at the stop sign for an extended period at 34th Street and R Avenue. The car then made a U-turn on V Avenue and failed to use its turn signal near Commercial Avenue. The woman said that she was looking for her brother and did not know the area very well. The woman smelled of alcohol, had watery eyes, and slurred speech. The woman said that she “did not drink.” The woman was unsteady on her feet and performed poorly on a field sobriety test. The woman was placed under arrest for drunk driving and she immediately said that she did not want the officers to search her car. Not needing permission due to her arrest, the officer searched her car and located a baggy of marijuana and a smoking pipe in the center console. The woman later admitted to smoking marijuana an hour prior to being stopped. The woman provided two breath samples that were almost twice the legal limit. She was cited for DUI and possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia and then released.
Three laptop computers and a digital camera with a total value of approximately $3,000 were reported stolen from a yacht sales business in the 1000 block of Q Avenue. An employee had arrived for work and discovered that the door just pushed open when he inserted his key. Pry marks were then located on the door. The stolen items had been taken from desktops within the office area.