Video unravels strange stolen Jeep, gun case; help ID suspects

WANTED IN PIERCE COUNTY --
Surveillance video shows a stolen Jeep as a man and woman pull in behind a Tacoma gas station on 72nd St. E. and McKinley Ave. E. and quickly bail out and take off. The woman grabs her bag and leaves, but the male suspect goes into the store where you can see a great shot of his face.

Detectives think he may have ducked in there because of a Pierce County Sheriff's deputy patrolling the parking lot.

So, he and his accomplice are  wanted for possession of a stolen vehicle, but here's where the case gets really bizarre: Video then shows a woman in pink, with blonde hair crossing paths with the dark-haired woman. They're total strangers, but deputies say that blonde haired woman walked right up to the abandoned Jeep and stole a gun she had spotted inside.



She was inside the store before the theft buying noodles and Marlboro Black cigarettes.

Detectives are trying to identify her, as well, and are asking you to take a close look at her shuffling walk in hopes it helps you recognize her.

So now, deputies are searching for three suspects--- the two women and the man who was driving the stolen Jeep.

"This is pretty unusual that you have thieves stealing from thieves and they don't even know it, but you know, at this particular point you have a stolen car, probably stolen property in the vehicle that they take out originally and then a gun taken by a third subject, so we would like to unravel this and take a lot of criminals off the street all at once,” said Pierce County Det. Ed Troyer. "Fortunately we got video and pictures of all these people and hopefully we can get them identified, because somewhere there's a gun out there amongst the criminal population that we want to get back. We're lucky enough to recover the car, but people who steal cars continually steal cars, so hopefully we find out who these people are and put some end to some crime in that area."



Detectives say the Jeep was stolen 10 days earlier from outside the Top of Tacoma Bar and Cafe that's just minutes down the street from the gas station.

Detectives say an employee at the Chevron noticed the Jeep didn't have any license plates. "He called 911, gave us great information, got us en route. Unfortunately, as our deputies arrived, we just missed them and thanks to the witness we got the car recovered. We got pictures of the people taking the gun and all the information's out there, now we just need the public’s help to find out who these people are and put this case together."

Detectives think the man is in his 20's, with a medium build, unshaven and wearing camouflage pants, a red/black/white jacket and an olive green beanie.

They think the woman with him is white, in her 20's, with a medium build, long dark brown hair and wore a burgundy leather coat over a white t-shirt.

The woman suspected of stealing the gun from the Jeep is described as white, in her 20's, with a petite build, bleached blonde hair and wearing a pink shirt, pink jacket and pink sandals. And again, detectives really want you to pay attention to the way she walks. She seems to take short steps and sort of shuffle along.

If you can tell Pierce County detectives any of the three suspect's names, call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS, or use the P3 Tips App to submit your information.