A vehicle prowl crime spree over three counties came to an end Thursday when $12,000 in prepaid credit cards were found in an alleged getaway car, authorities said.
The thefts started Nov. 19 in the Grandview area of University Place. For the next three days, Pierce County sheriff’s deputies with the University Place Police Department repeatedly responded to car prowl reports.
Early in the spree, a witness saw several men break a car window and flee in a white Dodge Charger with temporary license plates.
The thieves stole a purse and used the victim’s credit cards to make more than $620 in purchases at the Lakewood Walmart, the Sheriff’s Department said. Another crime matched the first down to the dollar amount.
The stolen credit cards were used to buy prepaid Vanilla brand gift cards.
Store surveillance videos showed the suspects and a Dodge Charger. Later, deputies found video of the suspects trying to fraudulently buy money orders at the University Place Fred Meyer store, the Sheriff’s Department said.
On Nov. 21, a deputy spotted a white Dodge Charger in the 5300 block of Grandview Drive W. After a short chase, the Charger stopped at Cirque Drive West and 86th Avenue Court West.
Inside were three men, ages 19, 20, and 23. All were from the Sacramento area. The car belonged to the local fiancee’ of one of the men, the Sheriff’s Department said.
One of the suspects had an outstanding warrant from Oregon for promoting prostitution. Deputies found $167 in cash, four restaurant gift cards and 14 prepaid Vanilla Mastercards worth $2,500 in his wallet, the Sheriff’s Department said.
Deputies found more than $5,000 in cash in the pocket of another suspect.
The three men were booked into the Pierce County Jail on charges of possession of stolen property, identity theft and car prowling.
On Thursday, deputies served a search warrant on the Dodge and found $12,000 in prepaid Mastercards that appear to have been bought in Lacey, Tumwater, Lakewood and Bellevue, the Sheriff’s Department said.
Investigators continue to contact victims, businesses and law enforcement in other jurisdictions.
This story was originally published November 29, 2018 6:39 PM.
