Kent Police catch suspected burglar after short pursuit

Kent Police arrested a 36-year-old Port Angeles man for investigation of attempted commercial burglary, eluding and other charges after responding to a reported burglary in progress.

At about 11:18 p.m. March 6, officers were dispatched to the 15400 block of SE 272nd Street in response to a 911 call of a commercial burglary in progress, according to a March 7 Kent Police Facebook post.

A man was being watched remotely by employees via live security cameras, reportedly attempting to pry open a rear door to the business with a crowbar, according to police. He had parked a silver sedan nearby.

Multiple officers responded to the location. Knowing that the offender was still at the scene and hoping to sneak up on him, a patrol officer advised his beat partners to silence their audible sirens as they approached the area.

They pulled into the lot and immediately noticed a silver sedan driving through the parking lot towards the only exit, where two officers were parked. The lit-up police vehicles in his way did not deter the suspect and he reportedly decided to intentionally crash into one of the officer’s vehicles. He caused some damage, but the police vehicle was too big and continued to block his only avenue of escape.

The man decided to reverse at high speed and smashed into a concrete curbing/flower bed that separates the parking lot from the roadway, according to police. Still not deterred, while still in reverse, he drove over the sidewalk to enter SE 272nd Street, almost hitting a second patrol vehicle, but the officer quickly accelerated forward to narrowly missed being struck..

The man then crashed on the opposite side of the roadway and attempted to flee on foot, according to police. Due to the presence of multiple officers on the scene, he did not get too far and was taken into custody after he fell into the tall grass.

Just before police took him into custody, the man reportedly was fishing around inside of his waistline. Upon the search incident to arrest, officers discovered he had a hooked edged weapon on him, according to police. He was transported to a local hospital to be evaluated for injuries sustained when he crashed his vehicle.

Officers continued to investigate and determined that the suspect vehicle had been stolen in Des Moines and was suspected of being used in another crime in Bellevue. The man refused to give his name, but an officer pulled out a portable AFIS scanner to run his fingerprints.

The man had multiple arrest warrants, including a felony warrant out of Port Angeles and misdemeanor warrants out of Kent and King County.

During the on-scene investigation, officers developed probable cause for attempted commercial burglary, possession of a stolen vehicle, hit-and-run, third-degree malicious mischief (for damages to the building) eluding and driving while license suspended. Most of this incident was caught on the business’s security camera.