Bellevue neighborhood shaken by ingenious burglary; Suspect arrested

In a startling series of events, the Bellevue Police Department apprehended a 43-year-old male suspect involved in a cunning burglary at a Newport Shores neighborhood residence. The arrest, which took place on Wednesday evening, followed a 24-hour crime spree that left the community on edge.

According to the Bellevue Beat Blog, the saga began on Tuesday evening at around 8:44 p.m. when the suspects, matching the descriptions of those involved in Wednesday’s incident, allegedly infiltrated the same residence. They made off with a safe containing important paperwork, jewelry, and a Yeti cooler. No forced entry was detected, and the home’s alarm system remained engaged with all doors locked.

The plot thickened the following day, around 2:50 p.m. when Bellevue Police Officers were dispatched to the 3600 block of Lake Washington Blvd SE in response to an ongoing burglary. Upon arrival, they encountered two suspects looting the residence. The duo was attempting to escape with a safe harboring over $100,000.

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The situation escalated when the second suspect, upon noticing the officers, made a hasty escape in a black BMW, inadvertently colliding with a police vehicle and causing minor damage. Meanwhile, the first suspect, driving a black Chevy Avalanche, found himself ensnared between a tree and the officer’s vehicle. He ran away, later spotted driving a box truck without license plates.

The relentless pursuit by Bellevue Officers culminated in the suspect’s capture while navigating an Interstate-90 onramp. He now faces charges of Residential Burglary, Theft of a Motor Vehicle, and Hit and Run of an Unattended Vehicle. Notably, the Chevy Avalanche was identified as a previously reported stolen vehicle.

Investigators linked the clever entry method to the victim’s stolen black BMW, parked at Sea–Tac Airport just before his overseas trip. The thieves used the garage door remote found in the car to gain unforced access to the property.

As the Bellevue Police Department intensifies its search for the second suspect, they advise residents to safeguard their homes against such inventive trespassing. Recommendations include not leaving garage remotes in vehicles, opting for keychain openers, securing emergency releases, installing deadbolts on garage doors, and ensuring the garage door is never left open.

Bill Kaczaraba is a content editor at MyNorthwest. You can read his stories here. Follow Bill on X, formerly known as Twitter, here and email him here.