A man who left his truck parked and unattended while he allegedly robbed a store returned to his vehicle to find that it was in the midst of being stolen.
Washington resident William Kelley left his Chevy pickup truck parked in a near-empty lot in Kennewick early in the morning on August 25, and he left the keys inside on the seat.
42-year-old Kelley walked out of the parking lot for a bit, and upon his return, he saw someone placing a bicycle in the bed of his vehicle before climbing into the driver’s seat.
In an attempt to thwart the alleged auto thief, Kelley began to sprint in the direction of the truck while it was still idle in the parking space where he had left it. As Kelley got closer, he watched as the suspect put the car in reverse and began to drive away.
Kelley tried to pursue the perpetrator on foot but he was ultimately unsuccessful, and he notified 911 to report the incident.
The Kennewick Police Department responded to Kelley’s call for assistance and obtained the video from the surveillance camera that was set up to record the parking lot from which the truck had been taken. When they watched the footage, the authorities noted that they saw the events Kelley had reported about the possibility that he was a victim of auto theft.
Much to their surprise, the police also alleged that they discovered the reason Kelley was in the parking lot in the first place was so that he could break in and rob a store across the street.
A warrant was obtained for his arrest, and Kelley was booked into the Benton County Jail for suspicion of burglary.
The police are still searching for the suspect accused of stealing Kelley’s truck.
If you or someone you love is suspected of burglary, contact Orange County criminal defense lawyer Staycie R. Sena at (949) 477-8088 for a consultation now.