Suspected cat burglar nabbed

The man wanted in connection with a series of home invasion burglaries and car prowls in South Kitsap last month was arrested Friday in Bremerton after trying to elude police in his car and on foot.

Det. Andy Oakley of the Bremerton Police Department said Chad Lewis Cash, 23, was spotted by a fellow police officer around 6 p.m. on Nov. 7 at the corner of Loxie Eagans Boulevard and Arsenal Way near State Route 3 in Bremerton.

“The officer followed the vehicle, pulled it over, and when Cash stopped the vehicle, he got out and ran,” Oakley said.

After enlisting the help of a police dog, the officers were able to locate Cash on the 200 block of Cambrian Avenue and placed him under arrest.

He was booked into the Kitsap County Jail under suspicion of residential burglary, possessing stolen property, identity theft and a dangerous weapon violation.

His bail was originally set at $125,000.

Sgt. Mark Duncan said the Port Orchard Police Department is currently investigating Cash’s connection to several burglaries that occurred early Tuesday, Oct. 21, in Port Orchard.

At the time of the crimes, Cash had been recently released from prison after serving time for several burglaries in Central Kitsap.

While responding to several calls from residents on Tremont Street and Pottery and Austin avenues, officers arrested and jailed Cash’s brother, Sonny L. Belgard Jr., who was later released with no charges filed.

Kitsap County Deputy Prosecutor Warren Sharpe said three separate agencies — the Bremerton Police, Port Orchard Police and the Kitsap County Sheriff’s Departments — were expected to file charges against Cash with his office.

Duncan said his department still had several witnesses to interview and other matters pending before it would file charges.

“We want to file the most make sure it is as complete as possible,” he said.

At Cash’s preliminary appearance in court Monday afternoon, Kitsap Superior Court Judge Leila Mills informed him he was charged with several crimes occurring between Oct. 16 and Nov. 7 including two counts of residential burglary, five counts of identity theft, 11 counts of unlawful possession of personal identification and several counts of possessing stolen property.

Mills kept his lowered bail at $75,000.

The prosecutor’s office has 72 hours to file formal charges against Cash; his arraignment is scheduled for today, Nov. 12, at 3 p.m.

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