Kent Police arrested a 42-year-old man last week after a Flock Safety camera alert led officers to a stolen vehicle in the north end of Kent’s valley, according to information released by the department.
Police said Patrol Officer Joss received a notification around lunchtime that a stolen vehicle was nearby. The officer located the gray 2005 Lexus heading westbound on South 212th Street, briefly lost sight of it, and then found it turning into a driveway in the 19900 block of 72nd Ave South.
Officer Joss requested assistance, and officers detained the driver without incident. Police said the man, who is from Nevada, had a revoked driver’s license. After being advised of his Miranda rights, he did not explain why he was driving the stolen car.
According to the department, officers contacted the vehicle owner and learned that the suspect had allegedly stolen the car from someone known to him, along with several credit cards belonging to the same person. Police said the suspect had been using the cards without permission and had been repeatedly instructed in writing to return the vehicle.
Police said a Nevada law enforcement agency had also contacted the suspect and directed him to return the vehicle. He allegedly ignored those notices, traveled to Kent and obtained a job locally without returning the car or credit cards.
The stolen vehicle was searched with the owner’s permission. Officers reported finding a container of fentanyl inside the Lexus. The man was booked into King County jail, and the vehicle and stolen credit cards were recovered for the owner.
“Bad decisions piled on top of bad decisions for this suspect,” police said. “Fortunately for the victim, he entered a city with FLOCK and proactive officers. Kent is not the place to crime.”
