The Burglar Who Walked Into Tacoma From Everett
A single suspect arrested in Everett for robbing a hired girl at gunpoint is now being investigated by Tacoma police as the prime suspect behind a string of local burglaries that have plagued the city for months.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
An unknown man arrested in Everett Saturday is believed to be the burglar who has been the cause of a large number of burglaries that have been committed in Tacoma during the past few months. The suspect, who refused to give his name, was arrested by Everett officers after he had robbed several homes in that town and had in one instance hold up a hired girl at the point of a revolver.
His manner of working in Everett was similar to that employed in this city. He admitted several of the burglaries, and it is understood that he confessed crimes committed in this city.
The arrest will be personally investigated by Chief of Police Fackler of Tacoma, and if it is possible he may be brought to Tacoma for trial. However, if good cases have been secured against him in Everett he may be tried there.
From the burglaries that have been committed here the police have been able to secure good descriptions of the prowler. Chief Fackler could probably identify him from them if the suspect is the right man.
This 1903 report highlights the early challenges of cross-jurisdictional crime in the Puget Sound region, where suspects could flee between neighboring towns like Everett and Tacoma to evade local law enforcement. It mirrors modern concerns about serial offenders exploiting geographic boundaries and the necessity of regional police cooperation to track down 'prowlers' who target residential areas.
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