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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
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242 stories matching thief
- Telephone Justice for a Livery Thief
A would-be thief who fleeces his benefactor is caught after an early use of long-distance communication stops him on the boat to Westport.
- The Thief Who Crawled into a Hole
A petty shoplifting chase leads to an absurd standoff underneath a downtown storefront.
- The Man Who Wasn't: Tacoma’s Mysterious 'John Doe' and the Burglary That Never Was
Police Chief Fackler returns from Everett with a prisoner who fits the description of a local thief, but lacks the evidence to prove it. A tale of mistaken identity and urban anxiety in early 20th-century Tacoma.
- The Waterfront Thief of Madison Street
A persistent petty thief is finally caught in the woods near Lake Washington after a long chase through the city.
- A Pinkerton Man’s Deception in Prosser
A high-stakes manhunt for a horse thief ends in North Yakima after a Pinkerton operative goes undercover to secure a suspect.
- The Captain, the Thief, and the Midnight Chase
When a suspected cattle rustler boarded a steamer to flee across the border, a determined captain navigated a tense confrontation at the Olympia wharf.
- The Overcoat Thief Is at Work in This City
A wave of coat thefts sweeps through Seattle hotels and lodgings; one suspect is caught red-handed with a warrant.
- Whatcom Vigilantes Warn Local Troublemaker
A known card sharper and thief was given a blunt invitation to leave town or face a 'necktie festival' at the hands of local residents.
- The Local Harness Heist
A string of barn burglaries in Walla Walla leads police to suspect a prolific thief is targeting local agricultural equipment.
- A Thief in the Night at the Bremer Home
A burglary attempt leaves a family home ransacked, leading to a warning for Olympia's citizens.
- The Sad Return of a Known Petty Thief
After seven years away, a notorious local pickpocket drifts back into Seattle only to be arrested for stealing a neighbor’s laundry.
- The Night Watchman’s Leap: A Seattle Police Officer’s Brutal Fall
William Wyatt, the city's night watchman at the Union Station mail depot, suffered broken ribs and internal injuries after falling from a moving train while chasing a thief.
- Police Pawn Shop Registry Catches Thief
An early technological shift in policing—the 'watch-book' system—allows detectives to track down stolen goods in record time.
- The Doctor’s Thief Caught by the Landlady
A bold sneak thief invades a medical office, but meets his match in a persistent woman who hunts him down across the city.
- The Dog Who Fought the Thief: Seattle’s Mastiff vs. The Ring
A loyal mastiff in Seattle discovered a burglar's bloody trail but refused to name names, leaving locals to wonder if the 'ring' would silence him before fall.
- The Burglar Who Ran: A Tacoma Woman’s Scream Saves the Day
When a thief tried to break into a South Tacoma home early yesterday morning, one resident’s quick thinking and loud voice turned the tables on the intruder.
- The Night the Burglar Lost His Shoes: A Seattle Thief Flees in Stockings
A daring break-in at a Bell Street laundry ends in farce when the thief is spotted before he can steal anything, forcing him to flee barefoot and leaving behind his footwear as evidence.
- The 'Orting Bank Thief' Libel Case
A political war of words between Populists and the establishment leads to a dramatic arrest for criminal libel in Tacoma.
- The 'Coolest Thief' in Seattle Captured
A burglar with a penchant for high-quality jewelry and a peculiar key is arrested after a spree on First Birch Street.
- The Chain Gang Escapee
A petty thief learns the hard way that jumping from the chain gang in Buck's Canyon only results in a much longer stay in the county jail.
- Cabin Raided by Boat Thieves in Kitsap County
A local veteran returns from his mail run to find his winter supplies, clothing, and bedding stolen, sparking a search for the thieves.
- Commerce Street Express Robbery
A local expressman is left destitute after a thief steals his horse and wagon in broad daylight on Commerce Street.
- The Vanished Prize
A glass jar filled with cash, intended for a public guessing contest at a downtown shop, was plucked from a storefront window in a clever, late-night heist.
- The Courthouse Confrontation
A $10,000 slander suit between a judge and a bidder at a tax sale is resolved with a public apology.
- The Poultry Thief Turns Cattle Rustler
A repeat offender leads police on a chase through the Snohomish River valley.