On Monday, January 24th, Yakima police arrested a man who is suspected of burglarizing the Yakima office of the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife in early January. The suspect, a 29-year-old Yakima man, was booked into the Yakima County Jail Monday.
During the burglary on Sunday, January 2nd, approximately 15 to 20 firearms were stolen from the Fish and Wildlife building located in the 1700 block of South 24th Avenue. Because firearms were stolen during the burglary, the case has been adopted by the U.S. Bureau of Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, which could lead to the suspect being charged in federal court.
The name of the suspect is not being release until he is formally arraigned.
The initial investigation indicated someone had entered the secured fencing and then cut a hole in the side of the building. The Yakima Police Department (YPD) Forensic Unit assisted in the investigation along with YPD Property Crimes Unit detectives.
During the course of the investigation, Forensic Unit personnel were able to develop a suspect via a palm print left at the scene. The palm print, along with other evidence gathered by police, led to the arrest of the suspect.
Anyone with information that may be relevant to this case is urged to contact the Yakima Police Department at 509-575-6200 or by calling 9-1-1. Tips can be also be reported to Yakima County Crime Stoppers by phone at 1-800-248-9980, on the organization’s website at www.crimestoppersyakco.org, or through the “P3 Tips” app at http://p3intel.com/mobileapp.htm that can be downloaded for free.