CAPTURED: Pierce County Proactive Property Crime Unit busts couple seen stealing $1,900 video gaming system



PIERCE COUNTY -- March 27, 2018 

The two suspects accused of stealing a $1900 HP Omen video gaming system form Walmart in Spanaway on Feb. 21 made their first appearance in court today.  Crime Stoppers of Tacoma/Pierce County says they were identified thanks to tips from you and a Puyallup Police officer who recognized them on the surveillance video.

Jason Howard entered a plea of not guilty today. He is being held on $50K bail. Howard is facing charges for three counts of Possession of a Stolen Vehicle, Theft of Motor Vehicle, Taking a Motor Vehicle without Permission, Trafficking Stolen Property, Theft and Burglary 2nd Degree. He was actually arrested on March 2nd but wasn't identified until we aired the video of him allegedly stealing the video gaming system.

Detectives say he was trying to hatch a plan to get out of jail.  “One of them told the other one to have a relative call in to get the reward so they could use the money to bail them out. Sorry, folks, that’s not how it works. Once you are there, you’re there. The money goes to anonymous callers and not to bail you out  for your crimes,” said Pierce County Sheriff's Det. Ed Troyer.

The judge ordered Howard not to have any contact with Alisha Crusch who also entered a plea of not guilty to Theft 2nd degree. Bail was set at $5,000. .

“In this particular case, the suspect saw that she was wanted on Washington’s Most Wanted but didn’t like the pictures because she didn’t think she looked good so she was wondering if it was possible to send her own pictures in to get them replaced because the ones that were on TV were not very flattering according to her thoughts,” said Det. Ed Troyer.  Crusch was released and ordered to return to court on April 26th

CAPTURED -- March 26, 2018

Pierce County Sheriff's detectives say both suspects are in custody.  This is a developing story. More info expected tomorrow after the suspects appear in Pierce county court.

WANTED IN PIERCE COUNTY --
Pierce County Sheriff's detectives are asking for the public's help to ID a couple in a maroon SUV who stole an HP Omen video gaming system valued at approximately $1900 from the Walmart store located on Mountain Highway in Spanaway on Wednesday February 21, 2018.

"They go in the store. They get the gaming system and set up by the door in a cart. They move the car around, they load the items in. She takes off and suspect walks back in the store, empty-handed, probably trying to determine if anybody's coming after him, or not, or to run interference. Then the suspect leaves the store, walks back to the car, they get in and they leave. These are definitely somebody who has rehearsed this and is out committing retail theft we want to get them caught before more people become victims," said Pierce County Sheriff's Det. Det. Ed Troyer.

Crime Stoppers of Tacoma-Pierce County is offering a cash reward of up to $1,000 if you have information that leads to their arrest. Call the hot line at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or use the P3 Tips App on your phone. It is guaranteed to be anonymous.​