SEQUIM — A Bremerton man was arrested for investigation of second-degree burglary, second-degree theft and first-degree trafficking in stolen property after a caretaker detained him at gunpoint.
Deputies arrested Kenneth Johnson, 48, after the caretaker for the business property formerly known as Affordable Roofing and Crane at 258663 U.S. Highway 101 in Sequim called dispatchers at about 6:37 p.m. Thursday to say he was holding two men he suspected of burglary at gunpoint.
Deputies did not identify the caretaker.
The case has been referred to the Clallam County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office for a formal charging decision as sheriff’s detectives continue to investigate, said Brian King, chief criminal deputy.
Also arrested was Nickolas T. Cobb, 29, of Poulsbo.
Johnson was not listed as still in Clallam County jail Friday afternoon. Cobb remained in jail without bond on an outstanding state Department of Corrections warrant for violating conditions of his community custody placement.
The caretaker told deputies he had discovered evidence that people had been unlawfully entering the former business’ fenced property and outbuildings.
He said tools, scrap metal and power equipment had been stolen.
The removal of copper tubing had caused several thousand dollars’ worth of damage, he told deputies.
On Thursday, he saw a car with two men inside enter the fenced property.
Armed with a handgun, he approached the vehicle and at gunpoint ordered the driver to stop.
The driver complied, and the caretaker held the two at gunpoint until law enforcement officers arrived, King said.
Within minutes, a State Patrol trooper patrolling Highway 101 arrived and took the two into custody, King said, adding that deputies arrived shortly afterward.
After being granted a search warrant, deputies searched the car and found tools previously stolen from the property with a cumulative value of about $1,500, King said.
He added that the men had sold some of the scrap metal to a local scrap recycling company. The company was not identified.
