GPS unit recovered after July burglary in Liberty Lake

The Liberty Lake Police Department recently made an arrest in a burglary that was reported in the 1800 block of North Willamette Road on July 24. A GPS unit was one of the items stolen, said Police Chief Brian Asmus. “Luckily the homeowner had the serial number,” he said.

Police noticed that a 39-year-old Spokane man had pawned the GPS the same day it was stolen. When they tracked the man down, he had a story to tell, Asmus said. He told police that he bought the unit for $20 from a man in the Fred Meyer parking lot on Freya and then pawned it so he could get enough money to fix a bicycle tire. But the story raised red flags with police because he only earned $20 by pawning it, Asmus said. He has since been charged with possession of stolen property and trafficking in stolen property.

Residents reported seeing a young, barefoot child at Country Vista Drive and Liberty Lake Road just after 12:30 p.m. on Aug. 6. When an officer talked to the 6-year-old boy, he said he was hungry and was walking to Safeway to buy something to eat. The boy had been in the care of his teenage sister, and he told her he was going to the pool where they lived. She was unaware the boy had started a trek across town, Asmus said. “He had money to buy food,” he said.

A call received at 8 p.m. Aug. 9 has police scratching their heads. The caller said three teenagers were trying to steal alcohol from Albertsons and gave a description of the teens and their vehicle. “The officer was sitting in the parking lot,” Asmus said. The officer had been there for several minutes and hadn’t seen anything amiss, Asmus said. He contacted store employees, who said they had not called police and no one had been trying to steal liquor.

“Maybe it was a different Albertsons,” Asmus said. “Who knows? It could be lots of different scenarios.”

An officer was called to the 1300 block of North Liberty Lake Road the evening of Aug. 9 on a report that someone was kicking a soccer ball against the building repeatedly and refused to leave when asked. When an officer arrived the person was gone, Asmus said. “The soccer ball bandit is on the loose,” he said.

Four teenagers were caught entering the vacant house and barn in Rocky Hill Park on Sunday. Their parents were contacted and they were warned about trespassing, Asmus said.

Other calls received during the week of Aug. 6-13 included a vehicle prowl of an unlocked car in the 1800 block of North Cavalier Road and broken windows in two cars in the 1700 block of North Cavalier Road. There were four arrests for driving with a suspended license and one of the four was also charged with driving under the influence.

During the week officers handed out five citations for failure to show proof of liability insurance and 13 for speeding. Additional citations were given for license and plates required, attachment of plate to vehicle, failure to sign/carry vehicle registration and failure to wear a safety belt.