Police Department

SPD makes arrest after thief leaves mail in recovered stolen vehicle.

Sergeant Terry Preuninger, Spokane Police Department

Tuesday, January 26, 2021 at 4:30 p.m.

On January 25th, 2021 around 2:00PM SPD was dispatched to the 2300 block of E. Rich Ave. in reference to the recovery of stolen property. Upon arrival, officers contacted the complainant who informed them that his stolen truck had been recovered earlier that day but it had been stripped of many items, including the rims. Because the car thief left mail in the recovered vehicle the victim now knew where look for the stolen parts and located them.  He called police again and showed officers pictures of the stolen rims.

The complainant explained that when his truck had been returned it was full of garbage. He sifted through the garbage and located a piece of mail with an address on the 2300 block of E. Rich Ave. He had gone to the address and observed what appeared to be his rims, along with other unique parts from his truck, installed on a different truck in the backyard of the residence.

Officers walked to the unfenced backyard of the residence and saw a male standing in the driver’s side doorway of a white, unlicensed truck which had rims matching the description from the complainant’s pictures. The male identified himself as James Riddle (36). Riddle told SPD that the truck was his but someone had borrowed it a couple days ago and it was returned with the rims installed.

Given that Riddle now had the stolen property on his truck and did not have a plausible explanation as to why, he was placed under arrest and booked into the Spokane County Jail for Possession of Stolen Property 2D and Possession of Stolen Motor Vehicle.

#2021-20013624

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