SEQUIM — The scenario of three young men smoking cigarettes and driving a Sequim Bible Church van in Bothell seemed curious to a passing motorist.
Curious enough that the motorist called the phone number listed on the van, found out that it was stolen and contacted police.
Authorities say that call landed the three boys, all from the Port Angeles area, in custody Tuesday and solved a break-in at the church the night before.
Investigative reports will be forwarded to the Clallam County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office to review for charges.
Burglars sometime on Monday night or early Tuesday morning entered Sequim Bible Church, 847 N. Sequim Ave., breaking a window to a first-floor youth activities room, taking several cases of soft drinks, snacks and music CDs, and grabbing the keys to the church van from an inner office, the Clallam County Sheriff’s Department reported.
They drove away in the van.
At around noon Tuesday, the motorist who saw three young men smoking and driving the vehicle called Pastor David Wiitala, who told him the van was stolen and asked him to call police, Capt. Ron Cameron said.
Bothell police respond
Bothell police responded and took the juveniles and the van into custody.
The three boys, whose ages were not released, were turned over to a youth center in Everett, Cameron said.
Two of the boys had unrelated warrants for their arrest and likely will be held at Maple Lane Juvenile Detention Center for several weeks before being returned to Clallam County, where they could face charges of auto theft, burglary and malicious mischief, Cameron said.