PORT HADLOCK — A Port Ludlow man was arrested early Wednesday morning after deputies said they found him in a Port Hadlock beauty salon gripping a pry bar.
The break-in was a few hours after a burglary of a hair salon in Port Ludlow.
Eric Waldenberg, 44, was charged Wednesday with second- degree burglary, second-degree malicious mischief and possession of burglary tools in connection with the Port Hadlock break-in.
He remained in the Jefferson County jail on $10,000 bond.
In court May 7
His next court appearance is scheduled May 7.
Deputies are investigating if the two crimes are connected, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Sgt. Mike Stringer said, although he emphasized that there is no evidence now linking the two.
The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office gave this account:
Three Jefferson County Sheriff’s deputies spotted Waldenberg inside The Salon in Port Hadlock, in the Kivley Center at 63 Oak Bay Road, after a neighbor reported seeing a flashlight beam in the building at 12:20 a.m.
Waldenberg had a pry bar in his hands and “ignored numerous commands to exit the building.”
When he would not come out, the deputies forced their way in and took him into custody.
Upon his arrest Waldenberg told deputies that he was “down on his luck and was looking to steal money,” according to a court document.
He told deputies he had used a pry bar to break in the salon’s back door, they said.
Natalie Hamilton, owner of The Salon at Port Hadlock, said that Waldenberg was in the wrong place if stealing money was his motive.
No cash
“I don’t keep any cash in the shop,” she said. “I don’t have anything of value here, or at least anything that you could sell on the street.”
Hamilton said she expected to install additional security, saying the experience was “scary.”
She has run the shop for 10 years without any break-ins.
Hamilton said she did not know what security she would install, but joked that she may employ a “guard goose” to sound the alarm.
Port Ludlow burglary
Earlier in the evening, Sonja’s Bayside Barber in Port Ludlow was burglarized, said owner Sonja Storms.
The door was broken and $40 cash was stolen, she said.
“No one can believe this happened here in Port Ludlow,” Storms said.
Storms said she visited the shop on Tuesday night and everything was intact, but when she arrived at 8:40 a.m. Wednesday, the door was open and the cash was gone.
Like Hamilton, Storms plans to install a security system as soon as possible.
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Jefferson County reporter Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at charlie.bermant@peninsuladailynews.com.