Sammamish Police Blotter: A Death Investigation, Fraudulent Charges of $27k, Exploding Mailboxes

Thursday, Dec. 30

Fraud: A Sammamish woman who works with several banks reported being informed of multiple fraudulent charges that had been made in her name on various accounts with Wells Fargo and Bank of America. The charges total more than $27,000. She was also informed of having been approved for a $25,000 vehicle loan but she has no knowledge of applying for one. In addition, Verizon Wireless and Comcast have sent her multiple bills for services she never ordered. The victim believes that someone has all of her banking information and Social Security number and she provided police with 25 pages of documentation. When asked if she had any suspects, the victim mentioned a former account co-signer who has since cut ties with her business.

Friday, Dec. 24

Vehicle Recovery: On the night of Dec.24, discovered a vehicle that had been reported as stolen while making routine license plate checks. Police were investigating possible narcotics dealing at an apartment building in the 3000 block of 231st Lane Southeast. Knowing that the vehicle had only recently arrived and that the driver was located in one of the apartments, police decided to wait and apprehend the driver as he attempted to leave.

Sometime later, a man emerged from the building and returned to the stolen car. As he attempted to leave, Sammamish police cut him off in the parking lot. The driver then leapt from the car and lead police on a short foot-chase, leaving behind a woman passenger. She also left the scene. The driver quickly surrendered when police threatened him with the K-9 unit. The woman passenger was never found.

The driver was wanted on four misdemeanor warrants, two in Snoqualmie and two in Issaquah, all for stolen property and theft. The car, which was reported stolen in Kirkland, is being held as evidence.

Sunday, Dec. 26

Bombing: Residents on 231st Avenue Southeast reported that their mailboxes had been vandalized late on Christmas night. When Sammamish police investigated, they found three mailboxes in close proximity that had all been completely destroyed by unknown explosive devices. The three mailboxes were of the same model, all having locks and pull-down openings at the top for inserting the mail. Officers searched for any undetonated explosive devices in the surrounding area but found nothing.

Sunday, Dec. 26

Death Investigation: Late on the night of Dec. 26, officers were dispatched to investigate a suspicious 911 call from a Sammamish residence. When police arrived at the scene, they found paramedics performing CPR on a man lying on the floor in a bedroom on the second floor of the house. The officers were informed that the man had no pulse, and they could see that his skin was pale and that his lips had turned blue.

A woman who had been staying at the house since Dec. 22 revealed that the man had an extensive history of drug use and that he had recently been hospitalized for an overdose. The officers found drug paraphernalia in the bedroom, which was in a disheveled state. The woman reported that she and the man, who had not been feeling well for a couple of days, sat down to watch a movie that night. She dozed off during the movie, and when she later woke up she noticed that the man was not breathing and called 911. After failing to revive the man, paramedics declared him dead at the scene.

Editor's note: Authorities have not released a name connected with this death.