BELLINGHAM, Wash. — Bellingham police arrested a 34-year-old man suspected in multiple burglaries in Bellingham over the last 10 months on Sunday, October 8th.
Bellingham Police Department (BPD) Lieutenant Claudia Murphy told Whatcom News via email they had developed probable cause to arrest Joe Edward Sanders, Jr, age 34, as a suspect in 8 separate property theft and damage incidents since January of this year.
Officers were searching for Sanders on October 8th in the 1000 block of W Bakerview when he saw officers before they saw him and fled into the woods according to Murphy. Several BPD officers waited nearby expecting he would return to the same area. He did and got into a vehicle as a passenger. BPD officers attempted a traffic stop of the vehicle but the driverdid not stop. The vehicle turned into a parking lot and Sanders fled the moving vehicle via the passenger side door. He was pursued on foot by a BPD officer who caught up with him and took him into custody without incident.
Sanders was booked into the Whatcom County Jail charged with suspicion of the following crimes.
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Click for more information- 4 counts of malicious mischief
- 2 counts of possession of a stolen vehicle
- theft of a motor vehicle
- 13 counts of theft
- 13 counts of burglary
Murphy detailed the cases as follows.
On 1-3-23 at approximately 5:19 a.m., a patrol officer was on patrol in the 3200 block of Northwest Ave when he saw a Mazda 3 parked with a woman in the passenger seat. He checked the license plate numbers, and the plates came back as a stolen from a Bellingham PD case in 2022. The officer contacted the passenger, and she reported the car was being driven by SANDERS, who was currently in the Methadone clinic. SANDERS came outside and spoke with the officer and admitted to driving the vehicle but said he did not steal it. He had the key in his pocket with he handed over to the officer. Probable cause was developed for the following charge:
Possession of a stolen vehicle – for intentionally driving and possessing a confirmed stolen vehicle.
On 6-23-23 an employee of an apartment complex in the 900 block of N. State Street located footage of a person breaking into the building’s tool storage room. The time was at 2:11 a.m., and the suspect was wearing dark clothing, a tan backpack and had their hood up. He snuck into the gated parking garage after a car enters it and before the gate closes behind. He runs and hides behind other cars in the garage when other residents enter the garage. The suspect then takes off his backpack, lowers his hood and crouches in front of the storage room and messes with the door/lock handle. He gains entry after a couple of minutes, picks up his backpack, whatever tools he was using and goes into the previously locked storage room. He is then seen leaving the room with multiple bags and other unknown items that he did not have before. The suspect had a specific hairline (widows peak) which officers recognized SANDERS has as well. SANDERS was a suspect in the burglaries and thefts at this same apartment complex) Officers were able to positively ID SANDERS using his DOL photo and body worn camera footage from a different call for service. The maintenance employee estimated approximately $100 in assorted tools were taken from the storage room. Probable cause was established for the following charges:
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Burglary 2nd degree – for entering and remaining unlawfully in the locked storage room with the intent to commit a crime.
Theft 3rd degree – for stealing approximately $100 worth of tools during the burglary.
On 6-26-23 an employee of the apartment complex in the 900 block of N. State Street submitted footage of a burglary to BPD. On 6-23-23 at approximately 5:12 a.m., a person appears outside of one of the buildings and manipulates the door. The suspect is a white male, wearing a dark colored jacket with a hood, a tan colored backpack, dark pants, and trail type shoes. Further in the video (and a different camera angle) shows the suspect getting access to a bicycle which was parked on the floor. It was a RadPower bicycle valued at $2,000.00. Officers received a tip that the stolen bike was in a trailer which was parked in the 700-800 block of Cornwall at the time. Officers were not able to see into the trailer or make contact with the owner, SANDERS at that time. Due to similar burglaries, this case was reexamined this case and rewatched the video footage. Officers identified the suspect as SANDERS based on the description of him in the video and their knowledge of SANDERS’ appearance. Probable cause for the following charges was established:
Burglary 2nd degree – for entering and remaining unlawfully in the apartment complex by breaking in and intending to commit the crime of theft.
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Theft 2nd degree – for stealing a bicycle with an estimated value of $2,000.00.
On 6-27-23 an employee of an apartment complex in the 900 block of N. State St located video footage of a burglary and theft. This footage was sent to BPD and matched the MO of other burglaries. The suspect was dressed in dark clothing and carrying a tan backpack. Another suspect entered as well and this second suspect was wearing a dark top with a hood up, lighter color pants and a red backpack. At approximately 5:07 a.m., the first suspect removed their hood and it showed they were white and had a distinct widow’s peak hairline. This male, later identified as SANDERS, is seen using some tool which requires multiple hand pumps near a bike. At 5:08 the person with the red backpack is also working on a bike. SANDERS takes a bike and then helps the second male with a bike.
At approximately 5:11 a.m., SANDERS is seen leaving with a bike which appears to be orange at the front of the bike frame, and the male with the red backpack is seen leaving with a darker bike with a hard bike rack in the back. Victim 1 reports one of the bikes was worth $856.00 and reported that the U-lock was broken during the theft. The lock was valued at $40.00.
SANDERS was identified by officers due to the clothing he was wearing, his distinctive widow’s peak and several burglaries of the same method at the same place. Probable cause was established for the following charges:
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Burglary 2nd degree – – for entering and remaining unlawfully in the apartment complex by breaking in and intending to commit the crime of theft.
Theft 3rd degree – for stealing a bike worth $856.00 while committing the burglary.
Malicious mischief 3rd degree – for damaging a U-lock valued at $40.00 during the theft.
On 8-2-23 at approximately 4:08 a.m., a white male with a distinctive widow’s peak hairline is seen on video surveillance outside an apartment complex in the 1000 block of Railroad Ave. He is breaking into a USPS lock box outside. Shortly after he is seen using the keys he stole by breaking into the lock box to unlawfully enter the apartment building. The male suspect looks into vehicles, accesses a storage room, and steals an e-bike valued at $1,800.00 belonging to Victim 2.
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On 10-05-23 while reviewing other similar burglaries, officers identified the suspect in this case as SANDERS. Probable cause for the following charges was established:
Burglary 2nd degree – for entering and remaining unlawfully in the apartment complex by breaking in and intending to commit the crime of theft.
Theft 2nd degree – for stealing a bicycle with an estimated value of $1,800.00.
On 9-17-23 at approximately 4:48 a.m., two males broke into an apartment complex in the 1400 block of 11th Street. Video surveillance shows a white male with a distinctive widow’s peak hairline, wearing a backpack with a unique design and black shoes with a red logo spending several minutes by the front messing with the USPS lock box. The male successfully breaks into the lock box, steals the key and unlawfully enters the apartment building. The two men are seen prowling through different areas where they look into vehicles, steal mail, bikes and a motorcycle. The following items were reported stolen by five different victims:
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- A box of medical equipment stored in a secure parking garage, value $2,000.00
- Specialized Electric Vado 3.0 bike, stored in a secure bike storage room, valued at $3,208.32
- A 2023 Honda CRF250RX red motorcycle, parked a secure garage, valued at $12,000
- Two Rad Power ebikes and misc bike tools/parts, in secure bike storage room, valued at 5,161.23
- Trek 3700 Disc Bicycle, in secure bike storage room, valued at $584.00
SANDERS was seen pushing some of the bikes and the brand-new motorcycle out of the parking garage. SANDERS was identified when officers reexamined several burglaries of the same MO and specifically noted SANDERS widow’s peak. Probable cause was developed for the following charges:
Burglary 2nd degree – for entering and remaining unlawfully in the apartment complex by breaking in and intending to commit the crime of theft.
Theft 1st degree – for stealing bikes and other property with an estimated value of over $10,000.00.
Theft of a motor vehicle – for stealing a motorcycle with a value of $12,000.00
On 10-01-23 at approximately 3:59 a.m., a white male wearing a distinct backpack with a white stripe and black shoes with a red logo on the tongue, unlawfully entered an apartment complex in the 1300 block of 9th Street. The male broke into a lock box, took the keys and unlawfully entered the building. The male, later identified as SANDERS, is seen on video surveillance prowling through the complex , breaking into several storage units, prowling several cars and eventually left with a new green backpack and a white e-bike. The folowing items were listed as stolen:
- Jupiter Defiant e-bike valued at approximately $1,600.00
- A tool kit and camping gear valued at $400.00
The suspect was identified as SANDERS when officers revisited multiple burglaries which had the same MO. This male was identified by DOL photo and body worn camera footage from other calls for service. He was also seen in the same shoes and identified himself by name. Probable cause was established for the following crimes:
Burglary 2nd degree – for entering and remaining unlawfully in the apartment complex by breaking in and intending to commit the crime of theft.
Theft 2nd degree – for stealing a bicycle and other property with an estimated value of $2,000.00.
On 9-17-23 at approximately 4:48 a.m., two males broke into an apartment complex in the 1400 block of 11th Street. One of the males, later identified as SANDERS, was wearing distinct black shoes with a red logo on the tongue, as well as a distinct backpack. An apartment complex employee reviewed footage and noted another burglary on 10-01-23 at approximately 3:22 a.m., where the same male from the burglary on 9-17-23 unlawfully gain access to the building again. The male prowled through the complex and leave after stealing several packages and pieces of mail. The following items were stolen:
- Two computer monitors, delivered to Victim 2, valued at $500.00
The suspect was identified as SANDERS when officers revisited multiple burglaries which had the same MO. This male was identified by DOL photo and body worn camera footage from other calls for service. He was also seen in the same shoes and identified himself by name. Probable cause was established for the following crimes:
Burglary 2nd degree – – for entering and remaining unlawfully in the apartment complex by breaking in and intending to commit the crime of theft.
Theft 3rd degree – for stealing computer monitors worth $500.00 while committing the burglary. Bellingham Police Department (October 10, 2023)
As of October 10th, Sanders remained in custody at the jail pending being able to post $75,000 bond or $7,500 cash bail.