Burglar's incriminating trail: 6 rolls of pennies
BIRCH BAY, Wash. -- Six rolls of pennies may lead to an arrest in the rash of home burglaries that have plagued the area for months.
One woman says a burglar stole her wedding ring and six rolls of pennies. Those pennies surfaced again when a man used them to buy cigarettes while the convenience store's surveillance camera were rolling.
The string of burglaries began plaguing the serene neighborhood in March. Since then 20 homes have fallen victim, and some $50,000 worth of property has been stolen.
Investigators believe the hits are the work of one burglar.
On March 11 Carlene Lutton came home and found the place ransacked. Then she heard something.
"I thought he was in the house when I was here..I just felt it. The Holy Spirit said, 'You need to get out of here,"' she said.
Investigators believe Lutton isn't the only homeowner to scare off the burglar, who appears to know his victim's habits.
"They're experiencing the same frustration that we are someone is out there violating their property and privacy and taking their property," said Undersheriff Carey James.
The burglar took Lutton's one-of-a-kind wedding ring she had treasured for 36 years.
"It was sad you know that's something I'll never replace. I don't even want to replace them," she said. "To take my precious things I have -- it's just not right."
The burglar also rifled through her roll-top desk, but only took six rolls of pennies. At the time it seemed insignificant, but those pennies may prove to be the key in solving this case.
The pennies led police to a local market where a man used six rolls of pennies to buy cigarettes just an hour after Lutton's home was burglarized.
Both investigators and Lutton are now desperate to find the man captured by surveillance cameras.
"I don't think they realize what they do to people," said Lutton.
Deputies say the burglar has mostly struck on the weekend, taking only what he can carry in his pockets, mostly cash and jewelry.
In most cases the burglar kicked in a door. But in some cases, including Lutton's, the homeowner left the doors unlocked, investigators said.
One woman says a burglar stole her wedding ring and six rolls of pennies. Those pennies surfaced again when a man used them to buy cigarettes while the convenience store's surveillance camera were rolling.
The string of burglaries began plaguing the serene neighborhood in March. Since then 20 homes have fallen victim, and some $50,000 worth of property has been stolen.
Investigators believe the hits are the work of one burglar.
On March 11 Carlene Lutton came home and found the place ransacked. Then she heard something.
"I thought he was in the house when I was here..I just felt it. The Holy Spirit said, 'You need to get out of here,"' she said.
Investigators believe Lutton isn't the only homeowner to scare off the burglar, who appears to know his victim's habits.
"They're experiencing the same frustration that we are someone is out there violating their property and privacy and taking their property," said Undersheriff Carey James.
The burglar took Lutton's one-of-a-kind wedding ring she had treasured for 36 years.
"It was sad you know that's something I'll never replace. I don't even want to replace them," she said. "To take my precious things I have -- it's just not right."
The burglar also rifled through her roll-top desk, but only took six rolls of pennies. At the time it seemed insignificant, but those pennies may prove to be the key in solving this case.
The pennies led police to a local market where a man used six rolls of pennies to buy cigarettes just an hour after Lutton's home was burglarized.
Both investigators and Lutton are now desperate to find the man captured by surveillance cameras.
"I don't think they realize what they do to people," said Lutton.
Deputies say the burglar has mostly struck on the weekend, taking only what he can carry in his pockets, mostly cash and jewelry.
In most cases the burglar kicked in a door. But in some cases, including Lutton's, the homeowner left the doors unlocked, investigators said.