Crime & Safety
Puyallup Christmas Tree Theft Suspect Arrested In Federal Way
The alleged Grinch of Puyallup was arrested Friday after trying to sell stolen Christmas trees in Federal Way.
FEDERAL WAY, WA — Police have arrested a man suspected of stealing nearly 80 Christmas trees from a farm near Puyallup last weekend. According to Federal Way Police, the man was found by the department's Special Investigations Unit in a lot with a stolen truck, cargo trailer and fifth wheel, surrounded by dozens of trees Friday afternoon.
Related: Nearly 80 Christmas Trees Stolen From Farm Near Puyallup
Pierce County detectives had been searching for the man since 78 Fraser Fir trees were reported stolen from the Snowshoe Evergreen Tree Farm earlier in the week. Deputies said the man got on the property via a nearby trail and made off with almost $6,000 worth of Christmas trees, sometime between Dec. 7 and Dec. 9.
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Federal Way Police Cmdr. Kurt Schwan said the man admitted he took the trees from the farm. Officers were able to recover some of the trees, but it was not immediately clear how many had already been sold.
Our Special Investigations Unit arrested a guy that’s on Santa’s naughty list. He had stolen a truck, a cargo trailer, and fifth wheel trailer. To top it off, he admitted to stealing Christmas trees from the Fraser tree farm, which some were recovered. pic.twitter.com/HRdk68DclW
— Federal Way Police (@FedWayPD) December 14, 2019
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