Snow helps Pierce County deputies apprehend pair of suspects in attempted burglary
Feb 15, 2021, 2:33 PM
Tracks leading away from a detached garage helped deputies track down a pair of burglary suspects. (Pierce County Sheriff's Office)
(Pierce County Sheriff's Office)
Pierce County Sheriff’s deputies found the region’s record-setting inclement weather to be handy for more than just sledding over the weekend, after using tracks in the snow to apprehend a pair of suspects in an attempted burglary.
The peculiar series of events began in the early hours of Saturday morning, when deputies responded to an alarm call in Tacoma, and saw two people fleeing away from a house. Upon further inspection, they found that the window of a detached garage next to the home had been broken, in an apparent attempt to get the door unlocked and break in.
A K9 unit was then called in, helping point deputies toward two sets of footprints made in newly-fallen snow, and leading them away from the garage and into a church parking lot.
One set of footprints continued on toward a dumpster, while the other ended at a tree. Deputies went to the dumpster and called out. Receiving no response, they opened it and found the suspect trying to conceal himself under a piece of cardboard. Authorities report they were able to take remove and arrest him “without incident.”
Deputies then followed the next pair of tracks to the tree, where they called for the second suspect to climb down. “Minutes later,” he came down and was subsequently arrested as well.
Both men were booked into Pierce County Jail for second degree burglary and obstructing a police officer, while the suspect in the dumpster was also booked for unlawful possession of a controlled substance.
