By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
A traveling magazine salesman was arrested last night for allegedly stealing decorative fish from the bathroom of a potential customer in Centralia.
Over the weekend, a resident at the 200 block of Elizabeth Browning Drive who allowed a door-to-door salesman to use her restroom discovered a computer tablet missing after he left.
Then yesterday evening, police got a report the same man was back in the area and an officer contacted him, according to the Centralia Police Department.
“He talked to him for awhile, one thing led to another and the officer had probable cause to believe he took the tablet,” Officer John Panco said. “On searching him, he found these fish figurines in his pants pocket.”
The officer was able to learn a resident on the 1100 block of Emerson Lane had invited the man inside, and while there, he also asked to use the bathroom, according to Panco. That’s where the little ceramic fish came from, Panco said.
Joshua D. Medaris, 24, from Austin, Texas, was arrested for two counts of third-degree theft and booked into the Lewis County Jail.
Panco said he didn’t know if the magazine subscription sales were legitimate or not.
In the Saturday case, the victim did make a purchase and their receipt was signed Josh Medarz.
Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter
Bo…I really wonder if you read the whole article. Some details seem to have slipped your attention.
A summons rather than jail? Yeah, that would so work. Because a wandering thief from Texas, with no ties to the area beyond “This looks like a good hunting ground”, wouldn’t be any kind of flight risk.
I agree that there are too many people in jail for minor offenses. A brief scan of the jail roster shows an alarming number of inmates whose sole charge is Driving Without a Valid License.
Again, though, I have to disagree with your idea that theft (from inside a home) is a minor offense. What got him caught was ceramic fish; true, no big deal on the face of it. But once his possessions are searched, how much stolen property is going to be found? What happens when he charms his way into someone else’s house and steals valuable medicines, or firearms, or something with mid-level monetary value that had irreplaceable sentimental value to the victim?
I doubt this guy came all the way from Texas only to begin his criminal career here at the crossroads of No and Where. It’s good odds that this guy will end up with warrants (for arrest or questioning) in a number of Western states.
Ok allow me to correct myself I am not saying that that he should not be prosecuted, I am saying that an arrest was not necessary at the time a simple summons should have been issued for him to appear in court. After the case was resolved and the court felt that jail time was appropriate that is when the Lewis County Jail should have been utilized. Arresting people who committ non-violent misdemeanor offenses on the spot is very expensive to the taxpayer. If he truly stole then prosecute him by all means. However, do so at low cost to the public and taxpayers. I should have been more clear.
don’t we mean how many people are dumb enough to allow this person into their home-he wouldn’t of got past my front door with a quick push to get off my property
Yeah Bo,
It seems he is a suspect in the theft of a tablet using the same ruse. I know you support people being accountable for their crimes. My question is how many victims are there that may not realize they have been burglarized and think they just lost an item.
Also what happens if he is caught in the act, would he be contrite and flee or become violent.
Bo Rupert…He’s also a suspect in the theft of a computer tablet. It’s easy to say theft isn’t a big deal when it isn’t your stuff being stolen.
Wow, ok just sentence him to time served and be done with it. This is ridiculous. They can find better and far more deserving people to fill up space at the jail. Fish figurines???? Come Centralia PD really????? Smh
You just can’t make this stuff up!