US Flag Desecrated by Vandals in Mercerwood Crime Spree — MIPD Blotter

Police have identified at least one suspect in a series of car prowls and property damage in the Mercerwood neighborhood overnight on Jan. 19-20.

Residens first began discovering the damage at a home on the 4100 block of 94th Ave. SE last Sunday at 8:10 a.m. The 72-year-old resident reported his 40-foot fiberglass flagpole was snapped in half sometime overnight by vandals, who then threw the US flag into the street. Police later found an iPhone in a black "Gameboy" case during a search of the area that belonged to a 17-year-old boy who lived a few blocks away on the 4000 block of 97th Ave. SE and named him as a suspect.

Several other residents on the same block reported their vehicles were vandalized or prowled by unknown suspects after 9-10 p.m. $10 in loose change was stolen from an unlocked Toyota Camry, while further down the street the rear-window wiper of a Honda CR-V was broken off while it was parked on the street on the 4100 block of 94th Ave. On the 9500 block of 40th St. SE, a Mini Cooper S and a Toyota Camry were broken into and an iPod was taken from the Toyota.

Jan. 14

Scofflaw Jailed on Mercer Island Warrant
Mercer Island Police arrested a 51-year-old Pacific Beach man on a local misdemeanor warrant at the King County Jail and transported him to the Issaquah Jail at 11:27 a.m.

Jan. 16

Albertsons Shoplifter Arrested With Liquor Worth $440
An Albertsons employee called 911 after she saw a man stealing liquor from the store at 10:30 p.m. Police stopped a silver Ford F100 truck that matched a description of the suspect's getaway vehicle along the 7600 block of North Mercer Way a few minutes later and arrested the 35-year-old driver after the employee identified him as the shoplifter. A search of the truck yielded several bottles of liquor valued at $440 and assorted toiletries.

Jan. 17

Scofflaw Jailed in Snohomish Re-Arrested on MI Warrant
Mercer Island Police arrested a 33-year-old Seattle man on a local misdemeanor warrant at the Snohomish County Jail and transported him to the Issaquah Jail at 4:36 p.m.

iPod Touch Stolen From MIHS Boys Locker Room
A 55-year-old resident reported her iPod Touch had been stolen from the MIHS boys locker room sometime between 3:30-5 p.m. The iPod, an 8G memory model inside a black case, was kept in an unlocked area of the locker room.

Jan. 18

Check Stolen From Presbyterian Church Christmas Charity Box
A 43-year-old parishoner of the Mercer Island Presbyterian Church reported she was the victim of check fraud after she discovered someone had appropriated a check for $40 from the church's Christmas donations box. The "Pay to the order of" section was left blank and was intended for church purposes, but she discovered that someone had used a name to cash her check.

Pizza Delivery Driver Crashes Into Cable TV Utility Boxes
An 18-year-old pizza delivery driver said his Jeep Wrangler crashed into a set of cable TV utility boxes while he was delivering pizza at a residence on the 6000 block of West Mercer Way at 6:13 p.m. He said the parking break was engaged but the brake did not hold and rolled down the hill, colliding with the utility boxes and damaging them.

Jan. 19

Shoplifters Jump Counter, Steal Cigarettes at South-end Rite Aid
Two boys jumped the front counter of the South-end Rite Aid while the clerk was away from it and grabbed two cartons of cigarettes and a box of Junior Mints at 8:55 a.m. The youths then fled out the front door. The total loss of the goods was estimated at $161.

Jan. 20

Bicycle Found Near Islander Stadium
A 51-year-old resident found a bicycle left on the 8700 block of 42nd Street.

Jan. 21

Drunk Driver Admits to Drinking 3 'Long Island Iced Teas'
A 39-year-old Graham man was stopped by police at 1:35 a.m. for mulitiple traffic violations while driving westbound on Interstate 90 and was stopped at the east portal to the I-90 floating bridge. The driver admitted his license was suspended and smelled of alcohol. He failed several field sobriety tests, was arrested, and later proveded a BAC reading of .130/.124.