Two burglary suspects nabbed

Thu., Aug. 27, 2009

From Staff Reports

A pair of Spokane men broke into a Rockford storage unit last week, unaware that their actions were being watched by several witnesses who lived nearby, said Sheriff’s office spokesman Sgt. Dave Reagan.

The witnesses called about 12:45 a.m. Friday, described what they saw, and gave both a description and the license plate number for the getaway vehicle. The burglars left the scene before Deputy Steve Paynter arrived and found the storage unit open and numerous items missing.

Deputy Darrell Rohde was responding to the burglary as well, and as he went south on state Highway 27, he spotted the white Chevrolet Lumina matching the description heading northbound at Freeman. He began following and alerted Spokane Valley Police to its approach to the city.

Officers set up stop sticks at Highway 27 and 32nd Avenue, assuming the driver would attempt to elude capture. However, the Lumina’s driver, 38-year-old Joseph A. Gariepy, simply tried to drive around them at normal speed.

He hit one stick with the right front tire and pulled over and stopped when the tire went flat. He was detained, as was his passenger, 37-year-old Christopher J. Cannata. Officers could see bolt cutters inside the car, as well as what they believed to be stolen property.

Witnesses identified the pair as the storage unit burglars, Reagan said.

Both Gariepy and Cannata were booked into the Spokane County Jail on charges of second-degree burglary and possession of burglary tools.

Woman knocked out, purse taken

A 28-year-old woman was punched and knocked unconscious Aug. 20 by a man who stole her purse in a North Pines Road convenience store parking lot, Reagan said.

The victim told officers she was walking into the 7-Eleven Store at 2100 N. Pines Road about 10 p.m. and was approached by a man leaving the store. As they passed each other, she said, the man grabbed her purse and then punched her in the face.

The blow knocked her to the pavement, and she blacked out momentarily, she told police. The man escaped with the purse, which was brown and had cherries printed on it.

Anyone with information about the robbery can call Crime Check at (509) 456-2233.

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