Burglary suspects caught in the act

Oak Harbor police officers put an end to a burglary spree when they caught a couple of burglars red handed after they broke into a home two days in a row, court documents indicate.

Prosecutors charged the two suspects in Island County Superior Court Oct. 28 with burglary-related felonies. They both could end up in prison if convicted of the charges.

Caleb Trimbur, a 22-year-old Oak Harbor resident, is facing two counts of residential burglary and possession of stolen property in the first degree. He’s being held in the county jail on $20,000 bail.

Richard Campbell, a 19-year-old Oak Harbor resident, is facing two counts of residential burglary. He’s being held in jail on $25,000 bail.

According to a report by Detective Ron Hofkamp, a NW Fairhaven Drive resident reported that someone broke into the house and the garage Oct. 24. The residents were in the process of moving into the home at the time. The burglars stole more than $4,000 worth of tools, fishing gear and other items, the resident estimated.

Early the next morning, officers were dispatched to the same address for a suspected burglary. A neighbor reported that a car was parked in front of the yard and people were going back and forth from the car to the house.

Three police officers found that four people were inside the car, including Trimbur and Campbell. Inside the car the officers found a coat and other items which had been stolen in the first burglary, as well as tools commonly used in burglaries, the report states.

The cops checked the home and found new damage to a couple of doors and footprints in the dew, Hofkamp wrote. All four people were arrested, though two were later released.

Based on information that tied Trimbur to other burglaries, the detective obtained a search warrant on his apartment at SE 11th Avenue. They confiscated a long list of items taken from burglaries, including pool cues, a computer monitor, a cordless saw, a power painter, tackle boxes and tool kits.

If convicted of the charges against them, Trimbur and Campbell would face up to a year and five months in prison under the standard sentencing range.

Contact Whidbey News Times Assistant editor Jessie Stensland at jstensland@whidbeynewsgroup.com or 360.675.6611 ext. 5056.

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