An apology and 50 bucks won’t cut it

Published 9:37 am Friday, October 15, 2010

A 47-year-old Bothell woman is facing a felony burglary charge for breaking into a commercial fisherman’s house in 2009 while he was working in Alaska.

The fisherman from Lake Stevens got a crummy homecoming after a two-month trip at sea. His 1994 Ford Thunderbird was missing and someone had broken into his home and taken a blue box that held about $200 in change.

He talked to a neighbor, who indicated that the Bothell woman may have taken the man’s car. The fisherman called the woman. She admitted to having his car. She tried to negotiate a deal. She told him that she’d bring it back if he didn’t call the cops.

Big surprise — she didn’t return the car and the man reported the theft to police.

A short time later, the man received a text message from the woman. The message told the man where to find his Thunderbird. When the man retrieved his car at a local boat launch, he found a note and a $50 bill inside. The note said in part, “sorry for all the trouble.” The woman had signed her name.