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'Prolific' auto thieves arrested in Ballard

SEATTLE — Investigators say two prolific auto thieves were arrested in Ballard Wednesday afternoon by Seattle police teams.

On Monday, a car was prowled in SoDo. The victim of the car prowl returned to their home that evening and discovered their other vehicle, a Toyota SUV, had been stolen.

Police received information Wednesday that the stolen SUV was being used by two known wanted suspects, who had apparently switched its license plates, to commit new crimes.

SPD officers and detectives found the stolen Toyota and saw a 36-year-old man park it at a grocery store in the 1400 block of Northwest Market Street. He then went inside the store.

The passenger, a 31-year-old woman, remained in the passenger seat as officers arrested the man inside the store.

As officers outside approached to arrest the woman in the stolen Toyota’s passenger seat, she slid over into the driver’s seat and tried to flee, ramming a patrol car and an empty vehicle in the parking lot.  She was eventually stopped and taken into custody.

When interviewed by detectives, both suspects admitted to being in several stolen vehicles, prowling cars and being involved in a number of police chases in and outside of Seattle.

The man was booked into the King County Jail for felony warrants for residential burglary, attempted theft, attempted trafficking in stolen property and escape from community custody.  He was also booked for investigation of possession of a stolen vehicle.

The woman was booked into jail for a felony warrant for escape from community custody and for investigation of possession of a stolen vehicle and assault.

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