LYNNWOOD — A 38-year-old man has been accused of rummaging through lockers and stealing credit cards at a 24 Hour Fitness near the Alderwood mall.
Police arrived the night of Oct. 27 after the man, who wore a black hoodie with “playboy” emblazoned on it, allegedly stole another person’s wallet and tried breaking into a car.
The suspect reportedly told employees and gym-goers that he was just looking for his wallet and shoes.
He then tried using the stolen credit cards to buy $500 worth of gift cards at a Macy’s store across the street, according to reports filed in court by Lynnwood police.
The employee asked for identification. The suspect said he didn’t have it.
However, he reportedly said, he had another card with his name on it. When he showed the card, it allegedly had a different name than the first.
The employee said she had to speak with her manager.
In response, the suspect took out a third card. The employee held onto the three cards until law enforcement arrived.
None of the cards had the suspect’s name on it, an officer noted in his report.
The three cards belonged to two victims. They told officers they noticed the suspect opening up several lockers. He told them the same story he told others: he was just looking for his shoes and wallet.
When one of the victims left the gym, he noticed his car doors were unlocked and his trunk was wide open. His wallet was on the floor of the passenger side with two cards missing.
Lynnwood police talked to the suspect. He said he and his wife were going through a rough patch financially, according to the report. He was unemployed, he said, and recently got out of inpatient treatment for cocaine use.
He reportedly told police that he stole several cards and was trying to buy clothes for his children.
The suspect was booked into the Lynnwood city jail for investigation of theft, financial fraud and identity theft. He was later transferred to the Snohomish County Jail.
He has previously been found guilty of second-degree theft on two other occasions.
Zachariah Bryan: 425-339-3431; zbryan@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @zachariahtb.
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