Illicit buying spree leads to arrest of Snohomish couple

Herald staff

SNOHOMISH — A couple suspected of shopping with other people’s money were arrested Friday morning at their home in the 9400 block of 52nd Street SE, said Snohomish County sheriff Lt. Rodney Rochon.

The 37-year-old man and his 42-year-old girlfriend are suspected of stealing credit card solicitations from mailboxes and using the cards to buy furniture, appliances and other merchandise, Rochon said. The pair allegedly had the bills sent to a post office box to avoid detection.

Deputies seized more than $100,000 in cash and merchandise from the home, as well as false identification documents, military papers, passports and medical documents, Rochon said.

The man and woman had been the focus of a three-week investigation involving sheriff investigators, postal inspectors and the U.S. Secret Service. They were arrested without incident and are being held at Snohomish County Jail on suspicion of identity theft.

  • Chase ends at "chop shop:" A pair of suspected car thieves led pursuing police right to an apparent "chop shop" Saturday.

    Snohomish County sheriff’s deputies made the discovery at about 5 a.m. as they were chasing a stolen truck loaded with stolen lumber near 164th Street NE and 97th Avenue NE, east of Arlington. The truck occupants abandoned the truck a short distance away and escaped on foot, but not before driving the truck through the yard of a home where at least five stolen vehicles were parked, said Lt. Rodney Rochon.

    "Right now, it appears to have been an error on the part of the crooks that had stolen the truck. They pretty much ran to where they were going to and then said, ‘Oops, the cops are still here!’" Rochon said.

    Investigators recovered the five stolen vehicles, the stolen truck, the lumber, a stolen gun, and are identifying other property at the home that may also have been stolen, including several snowmobiles and various car parts, Rochon said.

  • No burning yet: A burn ban remains in effect for Snohomish County, thanks to stubborn air that just won’t blow away. The Puget Sound Clean Air Agency issued the ban, which forbids county residents from using wood stoves or uncertified fireplaces, unless these are their only source of heat. All outdoor burning is banned. To check the status of the burn ban, call 1-800-595-4341.
    Talk to us

    > Give us your news tips.

    > Send us a letter to the editor.

    > More Herald contact information.

  • More in Local News

    Olivia Vanni / The Herald 
The Mukilteo Lighthouse. Built in 1906, it’s one of the most iconic landmarks in Snohomish County.
The Mukilteo Lighthouse. Built in 1906, it’s one of the most iconic landmarks in Snohomish County. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
    Mukilteo mayor vetoes council-approved sales tax

    The tax would have helped pay for transportation infrastructure, but was also set to give Mukilteo the highest sales tax rate in the state.

    South County Fire plans push-in ceremony for newest fire engine

    Anybody who attends will have the opportunity to help push the engine into the station.

    Marysville Mayor Jon Nehring gives the state of the city address at the Marysville Civic Center on Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2024, in Marysville, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
    Marysville council approves interim middle housing law

    The council passed the regulations to prevent a state model code from taking effect by default. It expects to approve final rules by October.

    x
    State audit takes issue with Edmonds COVID grant monitoring

    The audit report covered 2023 and is the third since 2020 that found similar issues with COVID-19 recovery grant documentation.

    Bothell
    Bothell man pleads guilty to sexual abuse of Marysville middle schoolers

    The man allegedly sexually assaulted three students in exchange for vapes and edibles in 2022. His sentencing is set for Aug. 29.

    Larsen talks proposed Medicaid cuts during Compass Health stop in Everett

    Compass Health plans to open its new behavioral health center in August. Nearly all of the nonprofit’s patients rely on Medicaid.

    ‘Voter friendly’ election ballots set to go out for Snohomish County voters

    Materials will include some changes to make the process easier to vote in Aug. 5 primary.

    Community members gather for the dedication of the Oso Landslide Memorial following the ten-year remembrance of the slide on Friday, March 22, 2024, at the Oso Landslide Memorial in Oso, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
    The Daily Herald garners 6 awards from regional journalism competition

    The awards recognize the best in journalism from media outlets across Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington.

    Kathy Johnson walks over a tree that has been unsuccessfully chainsawed along a CERCLA road n the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest on Thursday, July 10, 2025 in Granite Falls, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
    How Roadless Rule repeal could affect forests like Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie

    The Trump administration plans to roll back a 2001 rule protecting over 58 million acres of national forest, including areas in the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie area.

    Edmonds police officers investigate a shooting that occurred at 236/Edmonds Way Thursday in Edmonds, Washington. (Edmonds Police Department).
    Jury convicts Edmonds man in fatal shooting of rideshare driver

    After three hours, a 12-person jury convicted Alex Waggoner, 22, of second-degree murder for shooting Abdulkadir Shariif, 31, in January 2024.

    Jake Goldstein-Street / Washington State Standard
Angelina Godoy, director of the University of Washington Center for Human Rights, speaks to reporters alongside advocates outside Boeing Field in Seattle on Tuesday.
    Deportation flights at WA airport up dramatically this year, advocates say

    Activists also say King County officials aren’t being transparent enough about the flights in and out of Boeing Field.

    Smoke shrouds the hilltops as the Bolt Creek Fire burns through thick forest in 2022 on U.S. Highway 2 near Index. Members of the public can now view video feeds from artificial-intelligence-assisted cameras placed in 21 high-risk wildfire locations around Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
    Online feeds from WA’s wildfire detection cameras are now available

    Members of the public can now view video feeds from artificial-intelligence-assisted cameras… Continue reading

    Support local journalism

    If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.