CAPTURED: WMW viewer tips lead to identity, arrest of accused deviant business burglar
CAPTURE UPDATE August 29, 2017 --
Fircrest Police have arrested the suspect accused of using a pellet gun to shoot out the windows and door of Orchard Cleaners in April before masturbating on a photo of a young girl.
Pierce County Prosecutor Mark Lindquist charged 20-year-old David Burlak of Tacoma with Burglary in the Second Degree with Sexual Motivation and Malicious Mischief in the Second Degree.
Fircrest Police say he was identified by Washington's Most Wanted viewer tips to Crime Stoppers of Tacoma/Pierce County.
The damage to Orchard Cleaners cost $4,130.95 to repair.
Detectives say Burlak admitted he was the suspect on surveillance video and said he was walking home when he decided to shoot out the front door and window. He told officers he took about $3 in change from a bowl by the cash register. As for the deviant behavior, Burlak told detectives it was stupid and he didn't know why he committed the crimes.
He is in jail now, but is scheduled to be released on personal recognizance and will be on electronic home monitoring until his trial on October 17th.
Burlak is WMW Capture #913 thanks to tips from Washington's Most Wanted viewers.
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FUGITIVE WANTED IN FIRCREST May 5, 2017 --
Violent and perverted: Those are two of the best words to describe a creepy burglary suspect caught on camera, who Fircrest Police are trying to identify.
Out of the thousands of cases I've asked for your help with over the last 9 years, he is right near the top of the most disturbed and he has the owners of a small business wondering why they were targeted not once, but twice.
Watch the video and keep your eye on the door window as a burglar walks by and shoots at the glass last week at Orchard Cleaners in Fircrest. “It`s a little scary, because watching the surveillance tapes you could see him pull out a silver pistol, which we think might be a BB gun, but still it`s a weapon that he pulled out and sprayed shots all over the front of the store," says the business owner’s son. He doesn't want his, or his mom's faces shown for their safety, because two nights later, the same suspect returned. “He used a high-powered BB gun to break the windows,” describes Det. Ed Troyer with Crime Stoppers of Tacoma/Pierce County. “He went into the business multiple times to steal money and whatever else wasn`t tied down"
The video shows the suspect kicking out the remaining glass and then firing another shot at the window. He then backs-off for a few moments to see if anybody is coming and returns to climb inside. He continues into the store and jumps up to knock down a surveillance camera, but doesn't realize he is still being recorded. Fortunately, this is where you get a great look at his face.
The vandalism and break-in alone would put him on Washington's Most Wanted -- but it's what else police say he did that puts him at the top of our list: In the video, you can see him start to unzip his pants. "He also did some sexually deviant activity with a family photo, which is pretty disturbing and for that particular reason we really want to get this guy identified, because it puts him up at a different level of danger if somebody were to have come across him, or if somebody was actually in the business, or home when this particular burglar enters. We definitely want to get him identified,” says Det. Troyer.
The victim’s sense of security has been stolen by this sick creep. “After spending the last week with her, I can`t find anybody who would have anything against her at all. There is absolutely no reason why she should be targeted. She`s obviously distraught. She seems to be putting up a strong front, but when I come in the morning to join her she`s got it all locked up, you can see the look of fear in her face."
Fircrest Police are hoping somebody can identify this suspect who could now be charged with burglary with sexual motivation that comes with an enhanced prison sentence.
“We have pictures of him, but we don`t know who he is and neither do victim businesses, or people in the area, so again, this is one of those times where we`re going to ask the public for help to try and get this suspect identified and we definitely want to get him identified before he does it again,” Troyer adds.
Detectives think the suspect is white and in his late teens or early 20’s. It seems to me he has some scraggly, dark hair on his lip and his chin.
Keep an eye out for him around S. Orchard St. in Fircrest.
If you can tell detectives his name, Crime Stoppers will pay you a cash reward of up to $1,000.
Call the hot line at 1-800-222-TIPS, or use the P3 Tips App.
It’s guaranteed to be anonymous.