PORT ANGELES — An $8 theft of a coffee stand tip jar and “unusual” clothing resulted in the arrest of a transient near Olympic Medical Center.
Ryan David Lawrence, 33, was taken into custody Monday after a brief search of the neighborhood in which he was last seen, said Detective Sgt. Eric Munger of the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office.
Workers at RoundUp Alatte Espresso, 3231 E. U.S. Highway 101, witnessed Lawrence, who was on foot, take the change from the tip jar located on a ledge outside the drive-through window, Munger said.
The description of Lawrence’s apparel was unusual — including a hat with long black dangling items — and a purple backpack.
“He kind of stuck out,” he said.
A RoundUp Alatte employee called her father, who quickly located Lawrence still on foot near the 1200 block of East First Street in Port Angeles, and called law enforcement.
Clallam County sheriff’s deputies and Port Angeles police responded to the site and located Lawrence, who had “ducked behind a house” near Olympic Medical Center.
He was arrested for investigation of third-degree theft and was booked into the Clallam County jail.
Lawrence remained in jail Monday afternoon.
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Reporter Arwyn Rice can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5070, or at arwyn.rice@
peninsuladailynews.com.
