ID Theft case

On December 17^th at approximately 2225 hours, a Fife Police Department K-9 Officer spotted a vehicle that he recognized as being a suspect vehicle in a burglary in the City of Edgewood.  The officer contacted the occupants of the vehicle in an attempt to identify possible suspects in the Edgewood burglary.  The male and female occupants both lied about their names and were taken into custody.  The male was found to have methamphetamine in his pocket as well as multiple identifications.  The female told the officer that there was a gun and felony drugs inside the vehicle before she claimed to have swallowed an amount of heroin and had to be transported to the hospital. 

 Fife Detectives served a search warrant on the vehicle, a silver 2006 Dodge Charger,  and found evidence linking it to the burglary in Edgewood as well as a handgun stolen in a burglary in Auburn.  Detectives also located numerous items of stolen mail from what they believe may belong to as many as 200 victims through Pierce and King Counties.  Detectives also believe that the male may have used one of his false identifications to purchase a vehicle in Federal Way. 

 The male was booked into Pierce County Jail for possession of stolen property, identity theft, unlawful possession of a firearm and unlawful possession of a controlled substance.  Detectives are continuing their investigation and are attempting to contact owners of the stolen mail. 

Tow companies, volunteers and cops team up to keep holiday roads safe

Press release from Pierce County:

 

Law enforcement officers who began removing impaired drivers from Pierce County roads Thanksgiving Day are urging potential drinking drivers to call taxis and line-up sober designated drivers again this weekend.

 The Tacoma Pierce County DUI and Traffic Safety Task Force will conduct a “Night of a Thousand Stars” enforcement this Saturday night, Dec. 14, midway through a statewide five-week holiday crackdown on drunk drivers and in conjunction with its local Tow and Go and Home Safe Bar programs. 

 The effort, hosted by the Fife Police Department, will involve more than two dozen officers, deputies and troopers who will hunt for impaired drivers on high-fatality and injury roads in and around the city of Fife, including Interstate 5, beginning at 8:30 p.m. Ten towing companies will be on hand to offer free tows for drivers who have had too much to drink at a bar beginning Saturday night and through New Year’s Eve. And to discourage over-serving and assist patrons in lining up sober rides home, a combined citizen and law enforcement Home Safe Bar team also will be out bar-hopping.

 Greg Dreiling, owner of Liberty Towing in University Place and coordinator of the Tow and Go program, said bar patrons need merely to ask their participating bartender for help calling for a tow. Approximately 200 bars and taverns in the county are being given information about the program, including a list of participating towers in their area prepared to offer up to 10-mile free tows and rides home.

 “Drivers have options to avoid being arrested this weekend,” said Lt. Kevin Farris of the Fife Police Department. “We hope they won’t throw their chances of escaping arrest out the window by trying to make it home undetected after a night of drinking.”

 “It’s amazing how many people think they can outfox a breathalyzer,” said John Cheesman, Chief of the Fircrest Police Department and Chairman of the Tacoma Pierce County DUI and Traffic Safety Task Force. “They’ll drink coffee, chew gum, even meditate to try to manipulate a reading. But there’s only one sure way to avoid flunking a breath test and that’s to not drink at all.”

 Fifteen drivers on Black Friday, including those impaired by illegal and prescription drugs, were arrested during the task force’s emphasis in the area of Sumner, Bonney Lake and Puyallup. Several officers were diverted from the patrol when a pedestrian was struck by a vehicle and seriously injured soon after leaving a bar in Sumner.

 Comprehensive efforts like these to reduce deaths and injuries over the past three years in Fife and Pierce County have reduced impaired driving deaths and serious injuries by 42 percent. Task force programs are funded by the Washington Traffic Safety Commission and the Washington Impaired Driving Council and are administered by Pierce County Community Connections.

Safe Street Of The Week

The Safe Street Of The Week for the week of December 6th through the 12th is Radiance Blvd E. This is a residential area and the posted limit is 25 MPH. Thank you for helping keep Fife neighborhoods safe!

Theft from Vehilce is on the rise

Here's an important message from our Investigations Division -

 

With the temperatures starting to get down below freezing, many of us are going out to our vehicles in the morning to find layers of ice over our windshields and windows.  Detectives are asking that you resist the urge to start up your vehicle and leave it to warm up while you are getting ready for work, school, or errands that you may need to run during the day.   There have been a number of cases recently where vehicle owners did this, and thieves took advantage and stole their cars. 

Also, detectives are hoping everyone will remember not to leave valuables, shopping bags and  nicely wrapped Christmas presents in their vehicles where thieves will have an easy time breaking in and stealing them.