Two suspects – a 22-year-old female and a 30-year-old male – were arrested last Friday for identity theft and driving a stolen vehicle in an eleven-mile, multi-city incident across Bellevue and Kirkland communities.
While on active patrol, Bellevue Police Officers attempted to stop the suspects at Factoria Mall (Factoria Boulevard SE) for driving a white Chevrolet Tahoe with fraudulent operating trip permits. The vehicle was previously reported stolen by Tukwila PD.
This routine traffic stop quickly escalated when the male suspect, the driver of the vehicle, eluded the responding Officer and sped away from the Mall – driving northbound on Richards Road and Lake Hills Connector. Officers in both marked and unmarked vehicles proceeded to follow the vehicle as it traveled northbound I-405 to Exit 18 and entered the City of Kirkland.
Kirkland PD joined Bellevue PD in this effort where they located the vehicle at a nearby Shell gas station near the 4th Street and Central Way intersection. It appeared the driver (male suspect) stopped for gas, but due to the male suspect’s proximity to the stolen vehicle, Officers declined to detain him.
Instead, Officers attempted to disable the vehicle via spike strips when the suspect exited the gas station heading eastbound on Central Way. The driver avoided the strips by performing a dangerous U-turn across a raised median, and then fled Officers by driving westbound at a high-rate speed.
Officers temporarily lost sight of the suspects, but thanks to guidance provided by concerned citizens who saw the Tahoe’s reckless speeding, Officers were able to track and locate the vehicle at Waverly Beach Park. Law Enforcement found the stolen car abandoned, but Officers quickly caught and apprehended both suspects at the Park’s bathroom facilities.
After arresting both suspects, Officers found stolen mail and a $3,000 cashier’s check in the name of a resident of Kirkland. The suspects also had in their possession numerous state-issued IDs, credit cards, and checks in the names of other individuals from Kentucky and Washington State.
Both suspects were taken to Overlake Hospital where they received medical treatment prior to booking. The stolen vehicle was impounded and sent to the Bellevue Police Department.
The suspects were both arrested on suspicion of Obstruction and Identity Theft (2nd Degree). The female suspect was also arrested for Taking a Vehicle Without Permission (2nd Degree) while the male suspect was apprehended for Possession of a Stolen Vehicle, Taking a Vehicle Without Permission, Eluding an Officer, and Driving with a Suspended License (3rd Degree).
Thanks to the BPD and KPD’s policing tactics, Officers were able to largely maintain safety while also holding suspects accountable for breaking the law.
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