Bellevue police say man used garage door opener from stolen car to steal $100,000 from home

Bellevue Police arrested a suspect Wednesday night following a series of burglaries within 24 hours at a Newport Shores neighborhood home.

According to police, the homeowners were traveling overseas during the incidents.

At approximately 2:50 p.m., officers responded to an ongoing burglary at the 3600 block of Lake Washington Boulevard Southeast.

When officers arrived, they found two suspects attempting to steal items from the home, including a safe containing over $100,000.

The second suspect, who was driving a black BMW, quickly drove away, causing minor damage to an officer’s vehicle.

The first suspect, driving a black Chevy Avalanche, also tried to escape but got his vehicle stuck between a tree and the officer’s car.

He then ran away, running southbound on Lake Washington Boulevard Southeast.

Witnesses reported seeing the suspect drive off in a box truck with no license plates. Officers later arrested him on an Interstate 90 onramp.

The arrested suspect faces charges of residential burglary, theft of a motor vehicle, and hit and run unattended vehicle.

The Chevy Avalanche he used was previously reported stolen.

An investigation connected Wednesday’s incident to a similar burglary at the same home on Tuesday night.

In that case, suspects matching Wednesday’s descriptions stole a safe with paperwork, jewelry, and a Yeti cooler.

Police noted that there was no forced entry in both incidents despite the home’s alarm system being engaged and all doors locked.

The suspects gained entry by using the victim’s garage door remote, which was in the victim’s black BMW.

The car was stolen from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport just before the victim’s trip.

The Bellevue Police Department is continuing the investigation as the second suspect remains at large.