A Bremerton Police officer questioned two men about their suspicious activity and helped crack the recent rash of car thefts.

“It was an assistance with Bremerton Police that helped open this case up,” Deputy Scott Wilson, Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office spokesman, said. “That was instrumental in us getting that ball rolling.”

The Bremerton officer spotted two men standing near cars one night in June. He questioned them and got their names, but had no reason to hold them.

The next morning, the two cars they were standing near were gone.

KCSO arrested three Bremerton men — ages 23, 24, and 35 — in connection with the rash of car thefts that occurred in Central Kitsap and East Bremerton area throughout June.

Wilson said detectives are still looking for a 24-year-old Bremerton man.

Detectives discovered trends and mapped out the car thefts. They also talked to known burglars and car thieves and watched hours of security footage from retail stores to catch the culprits.

Detectives then obtained a search warrant for a Northlake Way home where one of the suspects was believed to live. Wilson said they found $20,000-25,000 worth of stolen property at the home Wednesday afternoon.

A lot of the items had been shrink-wrapped and detectives believe the suspects planned to get rid of the items or sell them online, Wilson said.

Victims went to the sheriff’s office in Port Orchard Thursday morning to collect their belongings, including car seats, tires, car stereos, GPS devices, game consoles, televisions, laptop computers and iPods.

Wilson said 32 cars, mostly Hondas and Toyotas, were stolen in June and detectives have recovered 20-25 vehicles.