TACOMA — A Port Angeles woman has been convicted for taking a safe and other items from two Lake Crescent vacation homes in August.
Michelle Madona Osborn was convicted last Wednesday on two counts of third-degree theft and single counts of residential burglary and possession of stolen property after a trial in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington at Tacoma.
“The trial lasted three days and the jury deliberated about three hours,” Emily Langlie, U.S. Attorney’s Office spokeswoman, said in a Friday email.
Osborn is scheduled to be sentenced April 10.
Olympic National Park rangers were notified of a burglary in progress on the 800 block of East Beach Road at a private residence within the park on Aug. 9.
Ranger Matthew Bolin spotted Osborn pushing a blue wheelbarrow toward her vehicle that was parked at the top of a driveway, federal court papers said.
The wheelbarrow contained a safe that was attached to a broken piece of particle board and was partially concealed under a life jacket, according to the compliant.
Osborn told the officer that she was paddling her kayak and found the safe in the lake, Bolin said.
“The back seat and passenger compartment of the suspect’s brown Chevrolet Blazer were packed to the roof with household goods, to include bedding, clothing and gas cans,” Bolin added in the Aug. 12 complaint.
The owner of the property said a security camera alerted her to a person trespassing on her property at about 3:13 p.m.
After investigating the burglary, rangers learned that the safe and kayak belonged to a couple who owned a home on the 1100 block of East Beach Road.
Rangers found a broken particle board shelf in a closet in the neighboring home the following day.
“The upstairs closet contained a broken particle board shelf and holes in the drywall that corresponded to the location of the particle board and drywall anchors on the safe,” Bolin said in the complaint.
Bolin said the safe was dry and had no signs of water damage.
Osborn also was charged for stealing a kayak, life jacket, pipe, wheelbarrow and an axe.
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 56450, or at [email protected].
