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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Sirens & Gavels

Citizen’s tracking busts theft suspects

A citizen who found his stolen property at a Spokane pawn shop in November led police to identify suspects more than three months later.

A detective recently reviewed reports regarding the Nov. 1 burglary in the 2700 block of North Cedar and identified Casey G. Griner, 21, and William C. Calamanco, 25, as suspects.

A patrol officer had responded to Pawn One on Nov. 2 after Dmitri Cole and his wife, Winifred, found their stolen video game consoles there. Pawn shop employees said Griner had pawned the property.

The reports went untouched until Detective Bob Mosman reviewed them on Jan. 17, interviewed victims, then contacted Griner and Calamanco earlier this month. Mosman believes the men burglarized the home, pawned the property and used the money for drugs.

Calamanco already was in jail when police contacted him - he's facing a vehicular assault charge for a crash Feb. 5.

Griner and Calamanco now face charges of residential burglary, second-degree theft and first-degree trafficking in stolen property.

Officer Jennifer DeRuwe, spokeswoman for the police department, said the case is an example "of how citizens can be proactive in helping police solve property crimes.

The victims in this case had recorded the serial numbers of their stolen items prior to the theft and filed a stolen property report with police following the incident, both of which are critical to an investigation," DeRuwe said.



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