BREMERTON — Three women have been arrested in connection with an alleged armed burglary in North Kitsap.
Just before 1 p.m. Thursday, sheriff’s deputies went to the burglary site — a home in the 21000 block of Bond Road NE — and to Big Valley Road NE, where a man was allegedly shot at by one of the suspects. No injuries were reported.
A 63-year-old Poulsbo man told deputies he was driving past the residence when he saw a gray-colored Ford Taurus parked behind the house. The residence and property belong to the man’s family. The man saw three women removing items from the house.
The man confronted the women; one of the women stated that the property belonged to her and she brandished a handgun. All three women left in the Ford Taurus and the man followed. While following the Ford Taurus northbound on Big Valley Road, the man reported that a gun was pointed out the window at his vehicle. He said he saw flashes from the gun and heard shots fired. He discontinued his pursuit, but was able to provide deputies with a detailed description of the suspects and the vehicle.
On Friday, sheriff’s deputies, together with sheriff’s Citizen on Patrol volunteers, went to the scene of an abandoned vehicle in a heavily wooded area off a private driveway in the 23000 block of Big Valley Road. Deputies determined the vehicle, a 1994 Ford Taurus, was the vehicle from the alleged burglary. The car was impounded as evidence.
Criminal intelligence information developed by deputies led to the arrest of one of the suspects around 9:20 a.m. Saturday, at a residence in the 1200 block of 5th Street in Bremerton. The 26-year-old woman, who has addresses in Bremerton and South Kitsap, was booked into jail on charges of first-degree burglary and possession of stolen property. Bail was set at $100,000.
During the investigation, deputies learned that the driver of the Ford Taurus was staying at a residence in West Bremerton, sheriff’s spokesman Deputy Scott Wilson said. Detectives obtained a search warrant for the house.
Sheriff’s detectives and Bremerton Police officers contained a residence in the 500 block of South Hartford Avenue. Five people were found to be inside: one male and four females, including the driver of the Ford Taurus. Eventually, four persons inside the house came outside.
The primary suspect refused to leave the house. Knowing that the woman may be armed, sheriff’s investigators requested additional tactical assistance from the Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office SWAT Team. “Once SWAT personnel deployed, the suspect walked out of the house and was taken into custody, around 9:40 p.m., without further incident,” Wilson said.
The 32-year-old woman, who also lists Bremerton and South Kitsap as home, was booked into jail on charges of first-degree assault with a deadly weapon and first-degree burglary. Bail was set at $100,000.
A 31-year-old Bremerton woman, also in the South Hartford Avenue residence, was arrested and booked into jail for first-degree rendering criminal assistance, and for two outstanding warrants of arrest. She was booked on $57,500 bail.
The others were detained, questioned and released at the scene, Wilson said. The investigation continues. Anyone with information about this case should call Detective Lori Blankenship, (360) 337-5615; and Detective Gerald Swayze, (360) 337-4479.
