A tip from a license plate-reading camera led to the arrest of two people and the return of $1,700 in merchandise and a stolen vehicle to the rightful owners in Centralia on Monday, according to the Centralia Police Department.
Officers received a Flock Security camera alert for a stolen vehicle on Harrison Avenue near Interstate 5 sometime before 11:49 a.m. on Monday.
According to a news release, officers located the stolen vehicle unoccupied and backed into a parking stall on the backside of an outlet store in the 100 block of West High Street.
“As an officer walked up to the store to attempt to identify the suspect(s), a female fled from the store carrying a large amount of stolen merchandise,” police stated in a news release. “The female suspect walked directly to the stolen vehicle where officers placed her under arrest. While speaking to the female suspect at the stolen car, a male ran up to the stolen vehicle carrying numerous bags of stolen merchandise. The male was also placed into custody without incident.”
Two credit cards belonging to two separate victims were located on the man.
More than $1,700 worth of stolen merchandise was returned to the store and the stolen vehicle was returned to its owner.
Zari C. Purnell, 26, of Tacoma, and Nathaniel Hicks, 41, of Auburn, were arrested and booked into the Lewis County Jail for possession of a stolen vehicle, organized retail theft and and second-degree theft.
Additional criminal charges might be referred to the Lewis County Prosecutor’s Office for both suspects, according to Centralia police.
