Backhoe prank leads police blotter

Backhoe taken for joyride

A ten-ton Kobelco backhoe was parked at a construction site near South 128th Street and 30th Avenue South. An unknown suspect was able to start the backhoe by breaking off a key in the ignition. The suspect then used the backhoe to drop a two-ton barricade in the middle of 30th Avenue South.

The suspect also knocked down wires with the bucket of the backhoe then fled the scene leaving the backhoe partially blocking the roadway.

Officers arrived and called Puget Sound Energy to determine if the wires were live. They discovered that they were telephone wires and they were safely removed from the roadway.
The officer was unable to shut the backhoe off and called county roads to help. They were able to move the barricade and backhoe out of the roadway. The construction company was contacted. No suspect information was available.

Stolen meter from car wash

Officers arrived at the Shell gas station at 105 S 156th St. for a larceny report. The owner stated he saw the back flow meter connected to one of the water pipes in the car wash intact when he left. When he returned the next morning, he discovered that an unknown suspect had opened the closed unlocked car wash garage door and entered.

Once inside the suspect had turned off the water on the west side and cut through one of the pipes that had the back flow meter on it. The suspect then left with the back flow meter and about 3 feet of piping. The owner felt that the suspect wanted these items for the brass/copper that are in them. He felt he could recognize the back flow meter again but stated he did not have the serial number. It is about 15 years old.

Intoxicated man lying in bushes

An intoxicated man was found laying in the bushes at Burien Nissan. He was unconscious and not moving when officers arrived. The man appeared to be lying in his own vomit. Officers woke him and most of what he said could not be understood, he was unable to walk or even stand on his own.

He admitted to having drunk a fifth of Canadian Whiskey and stated he was currently homeless. There was no one to call and nowhere for him to go. Officers sent him to the hospital to detox due to his level of intoxication.

Car break-ins, prowlers, vandalism, and thefts

13700 blk 24th Ave S., 2400 blk S. 142nd St., 14600 blk 26th Ln. S., 1516 S.W. 114th St., 15840 1st Ave. S., 12000 blk 1st Ave. S., 14434 Ambaum Blvd. S., 15400 blk Des Moines Mem. Dr., 600 blk S. 188th St., 17400 blk Ambaum Blvd. S., 300 blk S. 177th Pl., 200 blk S. 177th Pl., 16800 blk Ambaum Blvd. S., 14300 1st Ave. S., 12000 blk 26th Ave. S.W., 11800 blk 26th Ave. S., 11300 blk 26th Ave. S., 12000 23rd Ave. S., 400 S.W. 152nd St., 132000 blk 5th Ave. S.W., 1000 blk S.W. 151st St., 13200 blk Ambaum Blvd. S.W., 800 blk S.W. 128th St., 14500 blk 8th Ave. S.W., 1100 blk S.W. 139th St., 1031 S.W. 128th St., 14500 1st Ave. S.,