BELLEVUE, Wash. — Bellevue police arrested two men and recovered a stolen car and gun after they were alerted by Bellevue Square Mall security.
Around 2:30 p.m. on Friday, an officer with Kemper Security saw a suspicious car in the west parking garage of the mall, according to the Bellevue Police Department.
The officer also saw a pistol “in plain view” next to the front passenger seat of the car. The officer checked the license plate and saw the car was reported stolen from Renton.
Bellevue police got there and approached two men, who arrived in the stolen car, as they were coming out of the mall. Officers detained a 26-year-old man from Seattle who was later identified as the alleged driver of the stolen car. Police searched the man and found a loaded gun on him that had also been reported stolen. Police also learned the man was a convicted felon who was prohibited from possessing a gun.
Police also arrested a 19-year-old man from Seattle. He was charged with unlawful possession of a firearm, as he wasn’t old enough to possess the gun that was next to the passenger seat in the car.
Police seized both guns. They discovered the gun in the stolen car had been illegally modified with an attachment, making it a fully automatic pistol.
“This is yet another example of our officers working closely with our retailers, loss prevention, and security officers to reduce crime in Bellevue,” Bellevue Chief of Police Wendell Shirley said. “Because of the cooperation of all those involved, a stolen car was recovered and, most importantly, two illegal guns are off our streets. The message is clear, if you come to Bellevue to commit crimes, your chances of being caught are high.”
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