SPOKANE, Wash. — On Wednesday, a newly formed task force between the Spokane Police Department (SPD) and the Spokane County Sheriff's Office (SCSO) arrested two teens for their involvement in a string of Kia/Hyundai and Ring Camera thefts.
That task force was established several weeks ago to address the uptick in vehicle and Ring Camera thefts in Spokane. Police say the two suspects, a 13 and 14-year-old, are believed to be involved in a larger group that went on a two-day crime spree.
According to the task force, the crime spree saw four vehicles and 10 Ring Cameras stolen. One camera was thrown through the front window of a house while a window for one of the cars was smashed. Police also reported multiple prowling incidents.
One of the suspects arrested on Wednesday was found hiding in a closet at his mother's home The other was taken into custody at his middle school. Both are facing numerous charges for the crimes mentioned earlier.
At this time, the task force says four teens have been arrested and charged with various felony and misdemeanor crimes. The cumulative total for those four suspects is currently 26 felonies, 10 gross misdemeanors and 1 misdemeanor crime. Those crimes include:
- Robbery
- Vehicle and Attempted Vehicle Theft
- Possession of a Stolen Motor Vehicle
- Possession of Stolen Property
- First and Third-degree Malicious Mischief
- Possession of Another’s ID
- Possession of Burglary Tools
All four suspects are in custody at this time. Police say some of the teens involved in these crimes take video of their actions. Those teens can be seen jumping up and down on the stolen cars, tagging the interior and spray-painting the exterior. The suspects can also be seen wearing masks and bragging about their crimes.
"These crimes are a huge disruption to the lives of those whose vehicles are stolen, costing them thousands of dollars in repairs and affecting their and the communities' insurance rates, which are partially based on crime rates," the task force said in a statement.
Officials say Kia and Hyundai owners without a push-to-start button should contact their dealership to update their vehicles with GPS location devices in case their car happens to get stolen. Those who had their Ring or surveillance cameras stolen are advised to call Crime Check at (509) 456-2233.
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