Brazen thief steals police van lights, plates right next to HQ
TUKWILA, Wash. -- Tukwila police are trying to track down a brazen thief who stole license plates and lights off one of their vehicles -- right next to headquarters.
Now, officers are worried an imposter could use the plates and lights to commit a crime.
Anyone can come an go from the lot where the theft took place, as Tukwila's officers share some of the same lot space with workers at city hall.
The theft happened sometime Thursday night and the target of the crime was mixed in with the cars for city hall receptionists, SWAT vans and old black and whites.
"We have police officers coming and going from this parking lot constantly," said Mike Murphy with Tukwila police.
But there aren't surveillance cameras, and there isn't a fence anywhere.
"We frankly don't have the finances right now to build a facility like that," Murphy said.
The only secure gate is about a mile away.
Now police worry the thief could now pose as a cop. He took the regular flashers from the front and back, and the lights in the grill.
"It seems absurd that someone would come take our grill lights," Murphy said.
Then there are the license plates. They were exempt plates -- a big tell for official government business. Now dust and rust are left behind, leaving an imprint of the letters and numbers from the rogue plate.
Police are hoping the thief was just a collector using a bold method to add to his trove.
Now, officers are worried an imposter could use the plates and lights to commit a crime.
Anyone can come an go from the lot where the theft took place, as Tukwila's officers share some of the same lot space with workers at city hall.
The theft happened sometime Thursday night and the target of the crime was mixed in with the cars for city hall receptionists, SWAT vans and old black and whites.
"We have police officers coming and going from this parking lot constantly," said Mike Murphy with Tukwila police.
But there aren't surveillance cameras, and there isn't a fence anywhere.
"We frankly don't have the finances right now to build a facility like that," Murphy said.
The only secure gate is about a mile away.
Now police worry the thief could now pose as a cop. He took the regular flashers from the front and back, and the lights in the grill.
"It seems absurd that someone would come take our grill lights," Murphy said.
Then there are the license plates. They were exempt plates -- a big tell for official government business. Now dust and rust are left behind, leaving an imprint of the letters and numbers from the rogue plate.
Police are hoping the thief was just a collector using a bold method to add to his trove.
