A man covered in blood was hauled off to jail early Thursday after officers tracked a burglar alarm to South Tacoma Way and found a trail of smashed glass stretching across multiple car lots. Police were called shortly before 3:30 a.m. to the 7200 block for the alarm, spotted a building with a broken window and then located the injured man in a nearby parking lot. He was arrested on suspicion of burglary, attempting to steal a vehicle and first-degree malicious mischief.
Police Response and Crime Scene
According to KOMO News, officers quickly realized the mess was not limited to a single storefront. They found a second dealership with a broken window and ultimately counted eight vehicles with smashed windows scattered across several dealerships and car lots. One of the lots hit was South Tacoma Auto in the 7800 block of South Tacoma Way, just east of the Flett Creek Holding Basin.
Forensic technicians were still processing crime scenes as of about 5:30 a.m., dusting and documenting while most of the city was still getting out of bed. A Tacoma police spokesperson told the station that the information is preliminary and warned that more damage could surface once employees show up, flip on the lights and take stock of their inventory.
South Tacoma Way on Edge
South Tacoma Way is a busy strip of small dealerships, repair shops and auto lots, and neighbors have been saying for a while that the corridor can feel more sketchy than sleek. In a community survey from the City of Tacoma, residents flagged rising crime, including “vandalism of autos, homes, [and] store windows.” The survey-backed plan lists crime reduction and better lighting as key neighborhood priorities.
Felony Stakes for Smashed Glass
KOMO News reports that the man was booked on suspicion of burglary, attempting to steal a vehicle and first-degree malicious mischief while investigators sort out the finer points of the case. Under Washington law, first-degree malicious mischief is a class B felony when the damage tops $5,000, per RCW 9A.48.070, a charge that can bring serious penalties if prosecutors decide to file it…