SPOKANE, Wash. — Three suspects have been arrested after a string of burglaries that occurred in the Gonzaga area while students were on winter break.
A total of 11 burglaries were reported to the Spokane Police Department, according to Officer John O'Brien. The suspects targeted locations where mail had built up and snow was not removed from sidewalks.
O'Brien said the suspects were arrested in connection to nine of the 11 burglaries.
An investigator with the Spokane Police Department's Patrol Anti-Crime Team (PACT) was notified about the burglaries on Dec. 29, 2020 and began working the cases. Four days later, PACT arrested three suspects while in the commission of another burglary in the Gonzaga area, O'Brien said.
O'Brien identified the suspects 57-year-old Bobby J. Holt, 49-year-old Bruce R. Erickson and 38-year-old David I. Good, who are charged with a combined 41 crimes. All three suspects have criminal histories, including felony convictions.
Holt was charged with nine counts of residential burglary (9 counts), five counts of second-degree malicious mischief, two counts of third-degree malicious chief, two counts of possession of a controlled substance, two counts of first-degree trafficking in stolen property and criminal conspiracy.
Erickson was charged with nine counts of residential burglary, second-degree trafficking in stolen property, two counts of possession of a controlled substance and criminal conspiracy.
Good was charged with nine counts of residential burglary, criminal conspiracy and possession of a controlled substance.
There were approximately 71 victims of the burglaries, including property owners who had to make repairs following extensive damage to doors forced open, O'Brien said.
A large amount of stolen property was recovered during the investigation, with some that was sold in Idaho, O'Brien said. One of the items recovered was a ring given to one of the victims by her grandmother.
The PACT investigator set up a viewing event for the victims to identify their stolen property, and about 60 to 70 of them attended and found their belongings, O'Brien said. This event linked the suspects to nine of the burglaries.
O'Brien said Holt was the "reported ring leader behind the crime spree and referred to himself as Robin Hood because he was gifting some of the stolen property to the homeless." Holt told the investigator there would be no more burglaries in the Gonzaga area after his arrest, O'Brien said.
The PACT investigator dedicated nearly 90% of her work hours to the investigation and worked overtime on some weekends to be able to complete it and file charges nearly one month after the first burglary was reported, O'Brien said.
In an effort to avoid becoming a target for burglary, SPD recommends that those who are gone from their residence for an extended period of time should consider stopping their mail delivery, using timers for lights and hiring a neighbor or service to clear snow from the property.