String of burglaries reported near Olalla

A burglar, or group of burglars, broke into at least four residences in the rural South Kitsap area near Olalla the week of May 17, apparently stealing a wheelbarrow from one house to pick up and transport the loot, according to the Kitsap County Sheriff’s Department.

According to the report, a resident on the 10300 block of Bethel Burley Road S.E. called 911 to report someone had broken into his barn and shed and stolen several items, including three chainsaws.

The victim then called his neighbor to warn him his property had been burglarized and he believed the suspects might have headed his way.

The neighbor then checked his barn, which had been broken into as well.

When deputies arrived, they noted the burglars had apparently carried their stolen items from the first man’s property 50 yards to the neighbor’s barn and cut the padlock to get inside. Once inside, the suspects apparently loaded up one of the neighbor’s wheelbarrows with several hundred dollars worth of power drills, saws and other tools and pushed it down the street to a waiting vehicle.

While investigating the first burglary, a deputy noticed the garage door at a home across the street was wide open. After contacting the owner, deputies learned that the same suspects had apparently climbed into the garage through a broken window that had been taped up, but no items appeared to be missing.

Also during the deputies’ investigation, a resident on the 11000 block of Olalla Valley Road called to report his garage had been broken into sometime during the same week.

He said the suspect broke the lock and took more than $1,000 worth of loot, including several power saws and a generator.

The sheriff’s office is still investigating, and no suspects have yet been identified.

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