Apple AirTag helps Pierce County deputies arrest suspect who broke into a vehicle at Walmart

At 09:20 am, on January 8th, our deputies responded to the South Hill Walmart to help a woman had tracked her stolen keys to the parking lot. She said her purse was stolen out of her truck at 7 am when she went inside the Target just up the road.

The woman said her credit card was used at the Fred Meyer on176th St E and the Walmart.

The deputy went inside and was able to see the suspect on the surveillance cameras make several purchases with the victim’s cards before leaving. The victim advised her keys were currently tracking inside the Popeyes restaurant in the same parking lot.

When the deputy went to the Popeyes, he saw the suspect walking out holding a bag. When the deputy tries to talk to the man, he fled on foot and the deputy gave chase. They ran on the sidewalk north on Meridian to the Motion Church parking lot at 160th St E and Meridian. The deputy remained clam and gave good descriptions of the suspect and their direction of travel. When multiple deputies arrived, the suspect came out from between two parked vehicles and surrendered.

The first deputy returned back to the Popeyes and recovered the bag the suspect was holding. Inside was the victim's car keys, her purse and her Home Depot card along with several other people's identification.

The 43-year-old suspect was arrested and booked into the Pierce County Jail for Vehicle Prowling, Identity Theft, Resisting Arrest and his warrant for a Failure to Appear on two counts of Possession of a Stolen Vehicle.

Just a reminder for everyone, don’t leave any valuables in your vehicle. This victim did a good job of canceling her cards as soon as she had a suspicious transaction and then to immediately call deputies to help catch the crook who unknowingly was being tracked by an Apple AirTag.