Table stolen from, later returned, to Habitat store

Published 1:30 am Tuesday, July 28, 2026

SEQUIM — A 70-year-old Port Townsend woman was arrested after she allegedly stole a table from Habitat for Humanity of Clallam County’s Sequim Habitat Boutique’s front window.

Kristin Estelle Harlan was booked in Clallam County jail on July 17 on investigation of second-degree theft. She was charged with the Class C felony on July 20 and released on personal recognizance, according to court records. The maximum penalty is five years in prison and/or a $10,000 fine.

A two-day trial has been set to begin Oct. 5. Harlan’s next appearance in Clallam County Superior Court will be at 9 a.m. Sept. 11.

Sarah Ketchum, the Habitat store director, said an employee was in the front of the store at 154 W. Washington St. about 11 a.m. July 15 when the nonprofit’s truck arrived to drop off donations in the back.

She said a woman who had been shopping in the store for about 30 minutes was sitting in a chair near the front of the store when the employee went to check on the truck.

Ketchum said video footage showed that, within seconds of the employee walking away, the woman reached into the front window display and took the hand-carved wood table priced at $2,000.

This was the first theft at the Sequim shop that employees know of, Ketchum said.

The table was recovered due to efforts by the Sequim and Port Townsend police departments with assistance from community members online.

Sequim Police officer Abraham Blaylock returned the table to Ketchum, who said the theft was a surprise because Habitat is a nonprofit that supports affordable housing.

“It’s amazing how the whole community came together (to help),” she said. “It’s amazing how there’s still good people out there.”

Ketchum said the table has been placed on sale through Habitat’s online store.

For more information, visit habitatclallam.org/habitat-stores.

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Matthew Nash is a reporter with the Olympic Peninsula News Group, which is composed of Sound Publishing newspapers Peninsula Daily News, Sequim Gazette and Forks Forum. He can be reached by email at matthew.nash@sequimgazette.com.