KIRKLAND, Wash. — Quick Facts:
- Suspect played golf at burglarized course 8 times in last year
- 70 pieces of golf equipment found at suspect's apartment
- Police found stolen golf clubs on eBay
- Suspect appears to be unemployed
Police said they recovered more than $10,000 worth of stolen golf equipment from a Kirkland man who appears to have been stealing to support a golf addiction.
On May 26, Bremerton police officers took a report of a burglary at the Pro Shop at Gold Mountain Golf Course, which occurred sometime during the previous night.
The burglar stole more than $ 9,200 worth of golf equipment, including 40 to 50 golf clubs.
Detectives began researching online sales sites, including eBay and Craigslist, to locate the stolen items. Detectives said they found an eBay listing with 11 new clubs matching some of the clubs taken during the burglary. Using the listing, security camera footage and other information gathered during the investigation, the burglar was identified as a 26-year-old Kirkland man, Bremerton police said.
A search warrant was served at the man’s apartment in Kirkland Wednesday night.
Detectives said they seized 70 items, including items taken during the burglary at Gold Mountain Golf Course. The man was taken into custody and booked into the Kitsap County Jail on charges of trafficking stolen property and burglary. His bail was set at $200,000.
Police said the man has no previous criminal record.
Officers said they also found a baseball cap the man apparently owned that reads, "Born to Golf, Forced to Work." Detectives said that the man did not appear to be employed and during the search they saw the man had golf paraphernalia and photos of himself playing golf throughout his apartment.
Investigators said a look into Gold Mountain’s records showed the man played the course eight times in the last year.
"Burglaries are often the result of addictions -- drugs, alcohol or gambling," said Bremerton police Chief Steve Strachan. "I think this is the first one we have seen that looks like a golf addiction."
Detectives said they also seized new golf equipment found at the apartment that was not taken in the burglary at Gold Mountain. Detectives will be trying to determine if the equipment was taken in other burglaries.
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