Counterfeit Cash, Daringly Drunk Criminals, And Abusive Spouses

PUYALLUP, WA - This iteration of the ever-popular Puyallup police crime log has entries that describe some of the more foolish efforts criminals make to get away with their offenses, such as hiding drug paraphernalia inside themselves, risking serious hazard to their health.

Entries cover crimes logged between Feb. 22 and 26.

Theft

1400-block of South Meridian

A 35-year-old man asked a woman for a cigarette. Though she was willing to give him one, the man overzealously took the entire pack.

"He obviously missed the play nice with others day in pre-school," police said.

The man was arrested.

Trailer Recovery

1200-block of 12th Avenue Southeast

A stolen Pierce County trailer was recovered by police.

Burglary

2500-block of East Main Avenue

A resident reported their garage was broken into, though nothing appeared to be stolen.

Drug Paraphernalia

311 West Pioneer - Puyallup City Jail

Following her arrest, a woman told police she had drug paraphernalia hidden inside her body. With the foreign objects "secreting," officers took the woman to hospital so they could be extracted. Additional criminal charges were later added.

Theft

3600-block of 26th Street Southeast

A mailbox was burglarized. It's unclear what was taken.

Shoplifting

310 31st Ave. SE - Walmart

A man and woman who were spotted shoplifting at Walmart made a getaway when the store's Loss Prevention team tried to stop them. Prior to the couple's escape, Loss Prevention recovered some of the stolen merchandise as well as a wallet dropped by the woman as she fled.

In the wallet officers located the woman's ID, which they used to also ID the man. However, police were unable to locate either individual, so a citation was mailed.

Counterfeit Currency

700-block of River Road

A woman attempted to use a counterfeit $100 bill to buy a meal to go. The manager of the eatery challenged the woman on the legitimacy of the currency after the business' currency detection machine recognized it as fake.

The woman ultimately fled the area without either the counterfeit bill or the food she'd ordered. The money was taken into evidence.

Commercial Theft

100-block of 43rd Ave. SW

Two large air conditioners were burglarized from outside a building. The AC units are valued together at $7,500. Detectives are investigating.

Theft / Warrant Arrest

3500 S. Meridian - South Hill Mall

A man who was seen shoplifting from a store apparently fled only as far as his vehicle in the mall parking lot, where officers found him "in the process of using illegal narcotics." After arresting the man, officers learned he had a warrant for a previous theft charge in Puyallup as well as more than $100,000 in warrants from outside Pierce County.

The stolen merchandise was returned, and the man was taken to jail.

DUI – Alcohol

100-block of West Pioneer

A driver who failed to stop at an intersection was pulled over. After performing field sobriety tests, the man gave a BAC sample nearly double the legal limit. He was taken to jail.

Commercial Theft

4100-block of South Meridian

Sometime over the past week, a $3,000 heat pump was stolen from outside a building on South Meridian.

MIP/Involuntary Commit

900-block of River Road

A teen was reportedly drunk when he ran away, so his uncle called police. An officer found the boy nearby, "still drinking a beer," police said. The boy was taken to a hospital emergency room after providing a BAC sample nearly three times over the legal limit.

Unlawful Possession of Drug Paraphernalia/Warrant

1400-block of North Meridian

After spotting a man in a suspicious vehicle, an officer learned the subject had warrants out for his arrest as well as drug paraphernalia on his person. The man was arrested. Afterward, the man told the officer he was in the area with two other people — a man and a woman. Officers were unable to find the other pair.

Malicious Mischief

1100-block of Valley Avenue Northwest

A man called police to complain that people have reportedly tried to steal his generator so many times, it's been damaged.

DUI Hit & Run

3100 S. Meridian - South Hill Mall

Officers arrested man at 7-Eleven who ran to the convenience store after crashing his car. The man was reportedly identified by the hit and run victim, a witness, and through dash cam video recorded by another witness vehicle.

After refusing to provide alcohol samples at the jail, the man's blood was drawn via a warrant.

Warrant

800-block of River Road

Officers confronted a man in his car and learned he had felony warrants for his arrest.

DUI/Minor in Possession/False Statements

200-block of Second Street Northeast

An underage woman (20 years old) was stopped by police after leaving a bar and driving the wrong way on the bypass. While speaking with police, the woman identified herself with her older sister's ID — which she evidently also used to get into the bar.

The woman provided BAC samples of .08 and .078. She was arrested.

Agency Assist/Pursuit

Lakewood

Lakewood police chased into Puyallup a black Honda Civic involved in at least three armed robberies throughout the night. The chase followed the Civic eastbound along 112th Street East but narrowly missed spike strips set out by Puyallup police. Officers lost the Civic around Buds & Blooms on South Meridian (3924 S. Meridian).

The next morning, a Puyallup sergeant found a piece of the Civic's undercarriage in the area where it was lost. Police believe the Civic was heading back west on 112th Street East.

Agency Assist Elude- Lakewood/Tacoma Robberies x 3

900-block of 39th Avenue Southwest

The Honda Civic from the previous entry was located later the next morning at the Southridge Apartments. The vehicle's airbag had deployed and the dashboard appeared to have ignited. Police believe the damage was a result of the Honda colliding with a curb during its escape.

Police searched a nearby apartment but were unable to locate the driver. The Civic was impounded as evidence.

Dine and Dash

100-block of Ninth Avenue Southwest

A man who dine-and-dashed on a $19.76 lunch tab was tracked back to his temporary service job breaking down tables at the Washington State Fair gun show. When the restaurant's employees caught up to the lunch thief, the man tried to hide in a port-a-potty.

"However, folks are wise to the bathroom 'stall' tactic and the suspect was located," police said.

Vehicle Prowl

100-block of 23rd Avenue Southwest

Sometime overnight, a burglar broke into the victim's locked car and stole a duffle bag full of clothes, makeup and other items.

DV Assault 4th Degree Interference w/ reporting DV

700-block of 29th Avenue Southeast

Police responded to a 911 call involving a woman who said her husband beat her up and took her cell phone. Interviewing the woman, officers learned the man had come home drunk the night before and accused his wife of infidelity. Along with the accusations, the man reportedly struck his wife in the mouth several times.

The man was not located, but police issued a summons.

Commercial Burglary

200-block of 39th Avenue Southwest

Officer's investigating a business alarm learned someone broke into the building and stole a cash box containing $15.

"Hope they don’t spend that all in one place," police said.

Criminal Trespass

401 15th Ave. SE - Good Samaritan Hospital/Emergency Room

A man at the ER refused to leave after he was discharged and instead asked to be arrested. Police obliged him.

Vehicle Prowl

100-block of McElroy Place

Someone burglarized an Apple iPhone X from a vehicle. The phone's serial number was given to police.

Assault 3

401 15th Ave. SE - Good Samaritan Hospital/Emergency Room

A man who was being taken to hospital for an unspecified medical issue reportedly bit a firefighter and grabbed a medical technician. Both victims complained of pain and expressed a desire to press charges.

Commercial Burglary

4000-block of South Meridian

Officers responding to an alarm found evidence of forced entry and burglary. Behind the business an officer found two people, though it's unclear whether they were involved in the break-in. Regardless, they were arrested for other charges. (See below)

Unlawful Possession of Drug Paraphernalia x 2

4000-blk of South Meridian

A man and woman who were found behind a business that was recently burglarized were arrested after an officer learned the man had warrants and the woman had methamphetamine. Both were also carrying drug paraphernalia.

Vehicle Prowl

2700-block of 11th Avenue Northwest

Someone burglarized an unlocked 2014 Ford Explorer while it was parked in the victim's driveway, stealing $120 in cash from the victim's daughter's Girl Scout Cookie sales. The suspect(s) reportedly tried to also break into the family's other vehicle, but it was locked.

"Therefore, only the father will earn his Crime Prevention merit badge," police said. #9pmroutine

DUI Collision

1600-block of East Main Avenue

A man whose breakfast reportedly included three Mickey's malt liquor beers decided to go for a drive. He didn't make it far, however, as he pulled out of a parking lot right into the path of an oncoming car, occupied by a woman and her 6-year-old son. Though both vehicles were ultimately totaled, neither the woman nor her son were hurt.

The man reportedly gave BAC samples more than triple the legal limit, making this his third DUI offense in the past 10 years.

Vehicle Prowl

2100-block of West Pioneer

Someone burglarized a coin purse from the victim's unlocked vehicle.

Theft

700-block of South Meridian

A man forgot his backpack at a restaurant after dining. When he returned, it was gone, along with his Microsoft Surface, Bose headphones, and various tax documents. The restaurant is working with police to obtain surveillance images.

Missing Person/Runaway

600-block of Third Street Southwest

A 17-year-old boy ran away from home. He was reportedly seen around 5:30 p.m. near Safeway on South Meridian.

DWLS/Ignition Interlock/Warrant x 2

4300 S. Meridian

Two people were arrested when police pulled over a driver for several violations. The driver was found to have a suspended license and his passenger had a felony DOC warrant.

Theft

1200-block of 28th Avenue Court Southwest

A man was recorded stealing shoes from a porch around 3:30 a.m. If you recognize the suspect, call police.

Unlawful Possession of Drug Paraphernalia/Search Warrant

2200-block of Ninth Avenue Southwest

Officers located a man who was passed out in his car, surrounded by drug paraphernalia. Nevertheless, the man refused to allow police to search his car, so he was arrested and a warrant was sought for the now-impounded vehicle.

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