A sheriff in Washington state has warned criminals that authorities will now be pursuing smash and grab crimes occurring at local businesses.
Thurston County Sheriff Derek Sanders posted a video to Facebook sharing to community members that driving stolen vehicles into the window fronts of businesses will now be considered a first-degree burglary offense, meaning authorities will interpret a vehicle as a deadly weapon.
Prior to this new rule, smash and grabs were considered a level two offense.
“If you come to Thurston County, and you decide you’re gonna do tens of thousands of dollars to one of our businesses in damage, you’re gonna smash that stolen car, and you’re gonna hop in your buddy’s stolen car and flee from the scene — we’re now going to chase you,” Sanders said in the video.
This decision comes two days after a vehicle crashed into a smoke shop called Pipes R Us at 4:30 a.m, the Olympian reported. Security footage shows several men emerging out of the vehicle and stealing items before fleeing in a second vehicle.
“If you flee, we’ll chase you, we’ll conduct a pit maneuver, and we’ll use a tactical vehicle intervention to pin your car in,” Sanders said in the video. “If you flee on foot, we’ll chase you on foot then, too. If we lose you in the foot chase, then we’ll send the dog after you.”
So far this year, more than 42,000 vehicles have been reported stolen statewide, according to Washington Auto Theft Prevention Authority.
An hour northeast of Thurston County, Enumclaw had 13 reports of stolen vehicles from last month, King 5 reported.
In King County, Washington, there were 1,700 reports of stolen vehicles in July alone.
“These are major crimes. I mean the one night was $200,000 worth of vehicles,” said Kevin Kranc, partner at Fugate Ford dealership in Enumclaw. “The expense part is terrible, but it is the fear of the future expense that is even worse.”
