Crime & Safety
Stolen Vehicles, Trailers Recovered After Year-Long Investigation
A task force recently recovered 18 vehicles, trailers, and other pieces of equipment from four Puget Sound properties.
PIERCE COUNTY, WA — A man faces more than a dozen felony charges in multiple counties after a lengthy investigation culminated with the recovery of 18 vehicles, trailers and pieces of heavy machinery, according to the Puget Sound Auto Theft Task Force.
The 45-year-old suspect is a resident of Federal Way and investigators he stole several vehicles and other equipment from Eastern Washington, then stored them on several properties in Western Washington.
During the year-long investigation, detectives said the suspect was spotted driving a stolen Ford Transit van that was taken from Richland. The vehicle's VIN was altered to match a similar wrecked van that the man had purchased at auction. When he was found, the task force said the man was living in a 2020 Shadow Cruiser trailer, also taken from the Richand area, with its original VIN and decals removed and replaced.
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All told, the investigation recovered stolen items in Bellevue, Parkland, Kent and Federal Way, including:
- 2021 Grand Design travel trailer
- 2020 Shadow Cruiser travel trailer
- 2017 Coachman Freedom Express travel trailer
- 2021 CAT 303.5 mini excavator
- 2006 Trail King trailer
- 2017 John Deere 318E skid steer
- 2017 U-Haul trailer
- 2020 Kubota KX040 mini excavator
- 2006 PJ trailer
- 2021 Mirage cargo trailer
- 2015 Ford Transit van
- 2003 cargo trailer
- 2018 Ford Transit van
- 2017 Kubota SVL95 skid steer
- 2016 Big Tex dump trailer
- 2018 Loadtrail trailer
- 2021 Summit trailer
- 2012 Mercedes Sprinter van
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