VACANT HOMES VANDALIZED
• The Thurston County Sheriff’s Office reported this morning a caretaker for a bank-owned house discovered intruders had removed bathroom sinks, wall fixtures, mirrors and even the kitchen’s granite counter top from a vacant Rochester home. A deputy called about 4:15 p.m. on Tuesday to the 16,800 block of Leitner Road Southwest was told all was fine a week earlier but when the caretaker returned on Tuesday, the back french doors were open and several items stolen, sheriff’s Lt. Chris Mealy said. Among the many valuables missing was the alarm system, according to Mealy.
• Centralia police took a report yesterday morning that somebody kicked in the front door of a home being renovated on the 600 block of South Silver Street.
CHURCH BREAK-IN
• Centralia police reported this morning somebody went inside an unlocked church on the 500 block of South Washington Avenue and kicked open a door to steal computer equipment and an unspecified amount of cash from the office. An officer was called about the break-in about 11:30 a.m. yesterday.
DRUGS
• A 29-year-old Centralia man was arrested for possession of heroin and an outstanding felony warrant when he as contacted by an officer yesterday afternoon near the 800 block of West First Street, according to police. Thomas C. Pennypacker was booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to the Centralia Police Department.
• Chehalis police arrested someone about 4 a.m. today near Wal-Mart during a traffic stop for possession of methamphetamine. Further details were not readily available.
• Chehalis police were called about 10:45 a.m. yesterday to an unspecified location about the theft of hydrocodone from a residence.
SMASHING WINDOWS
• Aid was summoned to North Tower Avenue overnight for a teenager with blood on his hands and scratches. The call followed police arresting a 17-year-old male just after midnight for allegedly smashing out the windows of two cars elsewhere in Centralia. The un-named teenager was booked into the Lewis County Juvenile Detention Center for malicious mischief, according to the Centralia Police Department.
THEFTS
• Chehalis police responded to a report of the theft of jewelry yesterday morning following another theft of unspecified property, both at unspecified locations in Chehalis.
• Chehalis police were called about 8:40 a.m. yesterday to an unspecified address about counterfeit money received by an un-named person.
STICK USED TO STOP DIESEL LEAK
• A pair of jeans that got caught up beneath a semi-truck apparently ruptured a fuel line and caused a diesel spill on Interstate 5 last night that drew a fire department, Department of Transportation personnel and a tow truck driver. Lewis County Fire District 5 was called about 11 p.m. to the east side of the freeway near the U.S. Highway 12 and Avery Road interchange where the truck driver had pulled over after hearing “a lot of noise,” fire Lt. Laura Hanson said this morning. About 30 gallons of diesel had escaped when one of the firefighters plugged the hole in the fuel line with a stick from the side of the road, Hanson said. Responders built a trench to catch the liquid and used absorbent pads to soak up what they could, she said. Hanson said the fuel tank had to be emptied and the truck towed off the freeway.
Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter