70-Year-Old Woman, Gas Station Clerk Catch Burglary Suspects

GIG HARBOR, WA - A 70-year-old woman used data from her stolen credit cards to help track down two burglary suspects who were arrested after a gas station clerk spotted them. Police said the burglars broke into a 70-year-old woman's Goodrich Drive NW home recently, stealing numerous items including family photos, jewelry and a digital camera. Among those items stolen were a couple of the woman's credit cards.

She chose not to cancel the credit cards and instead use them to track the suspects' whereabouts. When the suspects stopped at a Chevron station of Purdy Drive NW, the gas station clerk recognized them from photos the victim showed him.

The clerk hit the silent panic alarm button, then managed to hold up the suspects by keeping their phone until police arrived.

A 27-year-old suspect was arrested for first-degree burglary. The other suspect, 32, was allegedly found in possession of tar heroin with a metal cooker, methamphetamine and other drug paraphernalia. He was arrested on counts burglary in the first degree, three counts of unlawful possession of payment instrument, two counts of unlawful possession of a controlled substance and a US Marshals warrant.

Police also said they found numerous stolen items in the suspects' Honda Civic along with a firearm. (For more local news, click here to sign up for real-time news alerts and newsletters from Gig Harbor Patch, click here to find your local Washington Patch. Also, follow us on Facebook, and if you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app.)

Image via Pierce County Sheriff's Office