In the early morning hours of 8-30-18, Bellingham Police were notified of an alarm at a marijuana retail business in the 2000 block of Iron St. Responding officers noted a car leaving the area of the business at a high rate of speed and followed it. After a short vehicle pursuit, four fleeing suspects, and four K-9 tracks, all burglars were taken into custody and the $20,000.00 worth of stolen merchandise was recovered.
At 3:32 am on 8-30-18, officers got the call of the alarm and responded. One officer noted a small passenger car leaving the area at a high rate of speed and caught up with it. The car had four occupants and when the driver noted the police car with the lights and sirens on behind it, the driver fled failing to obey the officers. He continued to flee until he failed to negotiate a round-a-about properly, striking a curb and deflating two of his tires. The vehicle pursuit ended, but the four occupants then fled on foot, each of them ignoring the verbal commands given by the officers.
Bellingham Police Department K-9 Teams, joined by a Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office K-9 Team arrived in the area. Patrol units set up a containment perimeter for the K-9 Teams and one by one the burglars were found and taken into custody. K-9 Officers Kaiser and Bean, with their K-9 partners Danek and Destro, each located two suspects on their search of the area. WCSO K-9 Deputy Nyhus assisted in the searches and apprehension of the suspects.
The marijuana retail shop had approximately $20,000.00 worth of product stolen by these four burglars and they also created about $1,000.00 worth of damage to the store. The property stolen was recovered during the search and subsequent apprehension.
Daniel Polkonichev, 18, of Federal Way, WA, the driver, was booked into the Whatcom County jail on probable cause for Burglary 2nd degree, Theft 1st degree, Malicious Mischief 2nd degree, Obstructing Law Enforcement Officer, Attempting to Elude Pursuing Police Vehicle, and Driving Without a License.
Zachariah F. Grayson, 21, of Kent, WA, was booked into the Whatcom County Jail on probable cause for Burglary 2nd degree, Theft 1st degree, Malicious Mischief 2nd degree, and Obstructing Law Enforcement Officer.
The other two males, both 17 years of age and from outside Whatcom County, were booked into the Whatcom County Juvenile Detention Facility on probable cause for Burglary 2nd degree, Theft 1st degree, Malicious Mischief 2nd degree, and Obstructing Law Enforcement Officer. The Bellingham Police Department by policy does not release the name of juvenile arrested and booked.
