On Sept. 20, the Puget Sound Auto Theft Task Force (PSATTF) led a multi-agency operation to recover stolen vehicles and arrest vehicle theft suspects in the Parkland area of Pierce County. In total, eight vehicles were recovered and three arrests were made.
The following vehicles were recovered during the operation:
Nissan Rouge (unoccupied)
Stolen from the Fife area. Located on D St E near 112th St E. Owned by a rental-car company.
Ford F-250 (unoccupied)
Stolen from the Auburn area. Located in a fast-food parking lot near 112th St E and Pacific Ave S.
Ford F-250 (occupied)
Stolen from the Kent area. Located at a residence near 131st St E and A St S. A 30-year-old male was inside the truck and was arrested and booked into jail for unlawful possession of a stolen vehicle. A 32-year-old male at this location was arrested and booked on two felony warrants for unlawful possession of a stolen vehicle.
Honda Accord (occupied)
Stolen from Parkland area. Located in an apartment complex near 112th St E and 5th Ave E. The driver was arrested, but due to a severe medical issue that would require hospitalization, he could not be booked into jail.
Toyota Camry (unoccupied)
Stolen from the Seattle area. Located in a grocery store parking lot near Portland Ave and 72nd St E.
Mazda 6 (unoccupied)
Stolen from the Buckley area. Located in the 10200 block of A St.
Kia Sportage (unoccupied)
Stolen from Puyallup area. Located in a grocery store parking lot near Portland Ave and 72nd St E.
A stolen license plate was located on an unoccupied vehicle and was recovered. A stolen trailer also showed up at the VIN check station at Washington State Patrol and was recovered.
We want to thank the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department’s Special Investigations Unit, Proactive Property Crimes Unit, and patrol deputies for participating in today’s operation. We also want to thank the Washington State Patrol for providing air support.
“Auto thefts are a regional issue,” said Sgt. Jeff Carroll of the Puget Sound Auto Theft Task Force. “We have detectives from multiple agencies within King and Pierce Counties working together to aggressively investigate prolific thieves and get people their stolen vehicles back.”
Tips to protect your vehicle:
– Remove or hide all valuables
– Lock your car
– Don’t leave keys or fobs inside
– Don’t leave your vehicle running unattended
– Use anti-theft devices (alarm, kill switch, steering wheel lock
– Park in well-lit areas
The Puget Sound Auto Theft Task Force (PSATT) is dedicated to investigating prolific auto theft offenders through multi-agency cooperation in King & Pierce Counties. The PSATT is funded through a grant from the Washington Auto Theft Prevention Authority (WATPA).