[By Det. Robert Onishi, Renton Police Department] On July 2, a Renton resident who had parked his pickup truck at the Henry Moses Aquatic Center discovered that it had been stolen. He contacted the Renton police and an officer responded and took a report of the theft. This kind of personal violation happens throughout King County every year and as the Renton Police Detective handling auto thefts, I see how traumatic it is to these victims. Fortunately, the City of Renton has taken proactive measures to help deter auto thefts and other crimes and to help catch criminals who victimize the public.

I had a new tool to work with in this case – integrated video systems and high-end cameras that the city has installed in public facilities such as Renton Transit Center and the Henry Moses Aquatic Center parking lot.

The cameras at the Henry Moses Aquatic Center not only captured the actual theft but did so with such fidelity that I could read the license plate of the car that the two suspects drove to the scene.

That car turned out to be another stolen vehicle that had been taken earlier in the day.

The image from the camera was so clear that when I distributed the photos, the thieves were immediately recognized by other auto-theft investigators.

Both suspects, a 38-year-old Seattle man and a 32-year-old women whose last known address was in Cle Elum, were arrested and have been charged with the theft of the truck and the possession of the stolen car.