Local

Newcastle police search for thieves who broke into storage units

NEWCASTLE, Wash. — Newcastle Police are asking the public to take a good look at images of two suspects wanted for breaking into a local storage facility Monday evening and Tuesday morning, and stealing thousands of dollars in items.

“You get that sick feeling in your stomach that -- now you become a victim,” Jake Rayl said. His family business, AT Foam, suffered a $2,000 loss when thieves took an air pump. The thieves also damaged other pieces of equipment.

Fortunately, surveillance cameras at the entrance of the facility on 133nd Place captured extremely detailed images of the woman, man and getaway car police say are involved.

“She looks right at the camera,” Newcastle Police Chief Jason Houck said. “I don't know if she doesn't know it's there or what.”

“I would just hope and ask any pawn shops, metal recyclers, if they see something, to just report run the serial number,” Rayl said. He provided the serial number to KIRO 7, M6K17FK33E.

Anthony Janssen estimates he lost about $8,000 to $9,000 in microphones. He used to run a recording studio and stored most of the equipment in the storage unit. Janssen said he has insurance, but getting the gear back would mean the world.

“What it would mean to me is -- years of collecting,” he said. “It was my work.”

Houck said the thieves got into the secure storage facility with someone else’s code.

“They used a code to get in, a legitimate person's code,” he said. “We've already been in contact with that person. She has no idea who those folks are.”

In fact, Houck said that woman's storage unit was broken into a couple weeks ago. He also believes the thieves may be linked to residential burglaries about a month and a half ago in the Hazelwood neighborhood.

But their getaway vehicle may provide a big clue to their identity. Houck believes it's a 2007 Hyundai Sonata with a handicap sign hanging in front and distinctive damage.

"The back passenger side quarter panel has got a huge, huge gash in it,” he said. “I’ve got to imagine somebody has seen this car.”

Newcastle Police are asking people to contact them if they know who the people are, if they’ve spotted the car or if they have gotten a photo of its license plate.

Houck said the public can call the nonemergency line at 206-296-3311 and reference case C19006525.