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Footprints in snow lead Pierce County deputies to burglary suspect

SPANAWAY, Wash. — Deputies with the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department say footprints in the snow helped lead them to, and arrest, a burglary suspect.

The department said deputies responded to a 911 call from a woman reporting someone who was trying to force in the front door of her home around 2:30 a.m. Monday.

The woman's house is located on 27th Ave. Ct. E. near Spanaway.

As deputies were on their way to the house, the victim told dispatchers that the burglary suspect entered her bedroom and ran away when she told him to get out.

"When our deputies arrived at the victim's home they spotted fresh footprints in the snow from the front door to a camper trailer in the driveway; deputies checked the trailer but no one was inside," the Sheriff's Office said in a news release.

The victim gave deputies a description of the suspect’s clothing and physical appearance.

Deputies followed the footprints, with over 12 inches of snow on the ground, heading eastbound an over a fence and eventually northbound onto Military Road.

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“Along the trail, deputies located several of the burglary victim’s possessions including a laptop computer, purse, checkbook and suitcase,” deputies said.

After following the tracks to 156th Street east, deputies said several residents reported having their motion lights turned on and seeing someone run behind a garage at 156th Street and Waller Road.

“At 3:37 a.m. deputies spotted a set of fresh footprints that led to a vehicle under a tarp; there were only footprints heading to the vehicle but none heading away,” the Sheriff’s Office said.

Deputies said they yelled at the suspect to come out, but after receiving no response, they tore off the tarp and saw a man laying in the back seat of a car.

“The suspect refused to exit, so deputies reached through (to) open the car window and pulled him out; the suspect refused to identify himself,” deputies said.

Deputies said the suspect had a small knife, a flashlight, three garage door openers and the burglary victim’s wallet.

“He was also found to be wearing shoes with treads that matched the footprints in the snow,” deputies said.

The suspect, 28 years old, was booked into the Pierce County Jail for two counts of burglary, one count of vehicle prowling and resisting arrest.

Woman wakes to suspect breaking into her home early this morning; deputies track suspect's footprints in the snow for...

Posted by Pierce County Sheriff's Department on Monday, February 11, 2019