A 70-year-old Anacortes man called on Monday, Oct. 18, to report a $10,000 bronze sculpture stolen from his home. The man said he believed his house was burglarized earlier in the day. He said he believed the front door might have been unlocked when he arrived home, as he recalled that something didn’t feel right when he put his key in to unlock it. It appears other items, including jewelry, may have been stolen. The investigation continues.
Here are some other cases APD reported this week.
Saturday, October 16, 2021
A 38-year-old Anacortes man was arrested on a charge of DUI after a caller reported the man was slumped over in his vehicle in the turn lane near 7-Eleven around 5 a.m. Officers had the man pull into the parking lot so he was no longer blocking traffic. When they contacted the man, officers noted he showed signs of intoxication. The man reportedly said he’d had “a couple beers”. His breath test results were more than twice the legal limit. He was cited and released to a sober driver.
A 91-year-old Anacortes man called to say he lives alone and always keeps his doors locked. He wanted to know how police or medics would enter his house in the event he calls 911 and can’t get to the door. He was told emergency crews would try all reasonable options to enter the house first, then as a last resort they would likely kick the door in if it was a medical emergency. The man advised he plans to discuss assisted living options or home care checks with his son.
A 53-year-old Lake Cavanaugh man reported his vacant upstairs rental was broken into in the previous week. Someone kicked the door in, though nothing appeared missing or otherwise damaged. He also showed the officer graffiti on a shed in the alley, which he believes was a marking system for transients labeling the building as vacant. Estimated damage is $600. There are no suspects.
A 65-year-old Eastsound man was cited for driving with wheels off roadway after reportedly falling asleep at a wheel in the 900 block of 25th Street around 5:20 p.m. His vehicle continued through the intersection, hit a stop sign and came to rest against a fence and light pole.
A caller reported seeing a man standing outside of a residence for several minutes and then walk inside the residence around 10:17 p.m. The caller said the front door appeared to be unlocked. Officers contacted the homeowner, a 67-year-old Anacortes woman, who said she went outside to smoke a cigarette and then went back inside. The officer noted she was wearing a beanie and baggy attire, which could be the reason the caller through she was a man.
A 36-year-old transient man was arrested on four warrants after an officer noticed him just outside a building under construction just before midnight near 18th Street and O Avenue. Officers noticed a man inside the same building the previous night and opted to check the building again. As officers were about to check the building, one noticed someone inside. The 36-year-old was located coming out from underneath the black netting outside the building. He told officers he was sitting on the edge of the building eating. Officers were unable to confirm he was the person inside. He was later booked into jail on his warrants.
Sunday, October 17, 2021
A restaurant owner called about an employee firing the previous day. He said they are following a vaccine requirement policy and a former employee refused to get vaccinated and was subsequently let go. Despite notice, the 53-year-old man, reacted poorly and caused a scene, including loudly yelling expletives. During the outburst, the man reportedly said something to the effect of people who got vaccinated should be shot. This caused concern to other employees. As a courtesy, the officer called the man and left a message advising him the matter needed to not escalate.
A 29-year-old Anacortes woman reported a road rage incident that culminated in the driver of a black truck stopping in the roadway in front of her and exiting with a knife in hand. The subject did not threaten the caller with the knife. Officers received a partial plate number but were unable to locate the truck.
Monday, October 18, 2021
Officers were advised of a vehicle off the road in a ditch in the 12000 block of Fidalgo Bay Road around 4 p.m. An officer contacted the driver, a 76-year-old Mount Vernon man, who said he pulled to the side of the road to take a picture and when re-entering the roadway, pulled into the ditch. There did not appear to be damage to the vehicle and the driver was uninjured. The officer assisted the driver with contacting a tow.
Dispatch received a noise complaint regarding a piano being played in an obnoxious manner just before 11 p.m. in the 400 block of Commercial Avenue. The officer observed the individuals leaving the area where the piano was located. The area was re-checked later with no issues.
Tuesday, October 19, 2021
A 48-year-old Anacortes man reported he received a fraudulent phone call from someone saying his Social Security Number would be suspended and he would be picked up on outstanding warrants from Texas unless he purchased Bitcoin bonds from them. The man said he did not share any of his personal information and did not lose any money.
Callers reported a man was laying in the ditch on the side of Highway 20 eastbound near Thompson Road around 1 p.m. Officers contacted a 36-year-old Stanwood man, who said he was taking a break and did not need any medical assistance.
A business owner called to complain about transients on T Avenue who are littering sidewalks with their belongings and obstructing traffic at times. The officer encouraged the man to contact City Hal, as they are believed to be in the process of mitigating the transient situation. The officer drove through the area as well and asked two men to clear up their belongings on the sidewalk.
An 84-year-old Anacortes woman reported that a garage had been broken into in Skyline, though it doesn’t appear anything was stolen. Someone broke the door to the garage within the past two days. Estimated damage is $100. There are no suspects.
Callers reported a 38-year-old woman standing in the roadway with her pants down in the 2500 block of Commercial Avenue around 4 p.m. Officers contacted her and she agreed not to let her baggy pants fall while walking in public. A short time later, officers received a Superior Court Custody Authorization. Officers returned to contact the woman, who cooperated and was transported to the hospital by ambulance.
A 29-year-old transient man was banned from a business in the 1100 block of Sixth Street after reportedly acting suspiciously and trying to open a maintenance room. Officers contacted the man nearby, who said he was looking for a friend’s room. Officers noted he appeared to be under the influence.
Officers are investigating a suspicious fire in the 1000 block of Eighth Street. They were dispatched to a structure fire around 11 p.m. where a small shed was fully engulfed in fire, which appeared to be spreading to an external staircase. Firefighters arrived shortly. The investigation continues.
Wednesday, October 20, 2021
A caller advised of an erratically driven vehicle coming from Island County that may have struck a center divider along the route to Anacortes around 9 a.m. The car was observed at Island Hospital. The man was assisting his mother out of the car, who appeared very sick. The man reportedly apologized for his erratic driving, but he was trying to get his mother to the ER.
Multiple callers reported a naked woman in the middle of Commercial Ave around 9:30 p.m. near 30th St and Commercial. Officers saw the 44-year-old Anacortes woman lying in the center turn lane of the street partly covered by a blanket. She complied with requests to move out of the road. Officers noted the woman appeared to be having a mental health crisis or was under the influence of drugs. She repeatedly threw the blanket off and would run around screaming, before sitting down and becoming cordial again. The woman threw handfuls of grass and rocks at officers and medics. Officers requested the Skagit County Mobile Crisis Response Unit respond. They advised they could assist by phone only. The woman eventually agreed to go in the ambulance to the hospital. An employee of a nearby inn later told officers the woman stays there consistently and is a fine guest but something felt off about her lately. Tonight, the employee heard screaming outside and saw the woman naked in the middle of the road. She feared the woman would get hit, so took a blanket and tried to get the woman out of the road, which is when officers arrived. She noted the woman was the same one who had to be rescued off Mount Erie the day prior, which officers confirmed.
Thursday, October 21, 2021
Officers were dispatched to a vehicle prowl in progress around 2 a.m. in the 8200 block of S. March Point Road. The caller reported a man was siphoning gas out of a bus. The suspect is associated with a white van. Employees previously reported a white van siphoning gas the previous two nights. While Anacortes officers were en route, a Swinomish officer pulled over the van. Anacortes officers arrived at the location and contacted the 51-year-old Bellingham man driving, who reportedly admitted he was siphoning gas. He said he stole the gas to get to the Seattle area. He was trespassed and informed to expect charges in the mail. The investigation continues.