Whatcha gonna do when they come for you?

By Lake Forest Park Police Department

Yesterday afternoon, LFP Police officers were notified of a recklessly driven vehicle on Bothell Way NE that turned into the lower LFP Mall area. The reckless vehicle was a reported stolen car from Seattle. 

Within 90 seconds of dispatch, the stolen vehicle was located in front of the Rite Aid store, backed into a parking stall. At nearly the same time, two juvenile male suspects exited the store carrying stolen bottles of alcohol. Both suspects started to quickly flee the area. The passenger suspect of the stolen vehicle was stopped and detained by officers while the driver suspect fled into the mall. 

Despite a detailed search by assisting Bothell PD officers, the juvenile driver suspect was not found. The detained suspect was positively identified by Rite Aid personnel, formally arrested, and a bottle of alcohol with a security cap still attached was located and returned to the store.

The juvenile, who was also in possession of a cannabis smoking device, was identified with an ID card, and it was learned that he had just been released from juvenile custody for possessing a stolen vehicle, shoplifting, and possibly other charges. 

Due to the Washington state laws regarding juveniles, the in-custody juvenile could not be questioned about the identity of his juvenile accomplice who was driving the stolen vehicle. The arrested juvenile, who will be criminally charged for theft, was processed, and was released to his parent as the juvenile justice center would not take custody. The owner of the recovered stolen vehicle came to LFP, found the vehicle interior damaged but happily took possession of his stolen vehicle.