Bail set for cabbie in busted theft ring case
SEATTLE -- Police have arrested 14 people in connection with a theft ring in which thieves allegedly stole items from area homes, cars and stores, then sold them to cab drivers in Seattle's downtown retail core.
One of the arrested suspects, Girma Endalelet Konche, appeared in court on Friday. A judge set bail at $10,000 for Konche, who was arrested for investigation of trafficking stolen goods and possession of cocaine.
Konche and five others, who have been released pending further investigation, could face felony theft charges. The other eight arrested drivers face misdemeanor charges, investigators said. Prosecutors have until next Tuesday to file charges.
At least eight more arrests are expected as a result of "Operation Yellow Jacket," a long-term undercover investigation that began in January. Detectives said they caught the players red-handed on camera while watching the cab stand at Sixth Ave. and Stewart St.
Investigators observed at least six suspected thieves committing three to four thefts a day, then selling the loot to cab drivers. Surveillance footage captured one suspect blatantly banging items on the sidewalk to remove the attached anti-theft device.
The loot included a wide range of items, including scarves, perfume, tennis shoes, sunglasses, hip sack, designer purses and wallets, watches, necklace, electric hair clippers and designer jeans.
Undercover officers eventually moved in. Acting as thieves, the officers "displayed bags of merchandise to the (cab) drivers and stated the items were stolen," investigators said in a statement to the press, adding the items had tags and/or anti-theft devices on them.
Even though the undercover officers made clear the cabbies knew the items were stolen, they "almost immediately began placing orders of what they wanted the undercover detectives to steal for them," the statement said.
The officers made more than 40 such transactions in a 10-week period, investigators said, selling the purportedly stolen items to 22 cab drivers and three parking lot attendants.
"Several of the drivers even told the UC (undercover) detectives, 'I'll take everything you can get,"' the statement said, and one cabbie even began using cocaine as payment for what he believed to be stolen goods.
The drivers involved in the sting were independent operators of Yellow Cab, Orange Cab, STITA and Farwest & TransMedic, police said, and the involved parking lot attendants were employees of I-Park.
Police do not believe the theft ring is connected to the owners of any cab company.
One of the arrested suspects, Girma Endalelet Konche, appeared in court on Friday. A judge set bail at $10,000 for Konche, who was arrested for investigation of trafficking stolen goods and possession of cocaine.
Konche and five others, who have been released pending further investigation, could face felony theft charges. The other eight arrested drivers face misdemeanor charges, investigators said. Prosecutors have until next Tuesday to file charges.
At least eight more arrests are expected as a result of "Operation Yellow Jacket," a long-term undercover investigation that began in January. Detectives said they caught the players red-handed on camera while watching the cab stand at Sixth Ave. and Stewart St.
Investigators observed at least six suspected thieves committing three to four thefts a day, then selling the loot to cab drivers. Surveillance footage captured one suspect blatantly banging items on the sidewalk to remove the attached anti-theft device.
The loot included a wide range of items, including scarves, perfume, tennis shoes, sunglasses, hip sack, designer purses and wallets, watches, necklace, electric hair clippers and designer jeans.
Undercover officers eventually moved in. Acting as thieves, the officers "displayed bags of merchandise to the (cab) drivers and stated the items were stolen," investigators said in a statement to the press, adding the items had tags and/or anti-theft devices on them.
Even though the undercover officers made clear the cabbies knew the items were stolen, they "almost immediately began placing orders of what they wanted the undercover detectives to steal for them," the statement said.
The officers made more than 40 such transactions in a 10-week period, investigators said, selling the purportedly stolen items to 22 cab drivers and three parking lot attendants.
"Several of the drivers even told the UC (undercover) detectives, 'I'll take everything you can get,"' the statement said, and one cabbie even began using cocaine as payment for what he believed to be stolen goods.
The drivers involved in the sting were independent operators of Yellow Cab, Orange Cab, STITA and Farwest & TransMedic, police said, and the involved parking lot attendants were employees of I-Park.
Police do not believe the theft ring is connected to the owners of any cab company.