EVERETT —Detectives believe a Lake Stevens man is responsible for a prolific crime spree across King County.
At 2:50 p.m. Feb. 27, police arrested Rory A. Hutchison, 35, Lake Stevens, after detectives obtained a permit to search his storage units and uncovered many items, including a stolen white Lexus, guns, silver and gold.
He is accused of committing at least eight burglaries between November 2024 and February 2025, allegedly stealing five vehicles, six Aero Precision AR-15-style rifles, luxury items, personal documents and more, according to court documents. He has eight previous convictions of residential burglary.
Authorities began tracking Hutchison after linking him to a string of burglaries across King County, with investigators first connecting him to a Dec. 30, 2024 break-in at a Sammamish residence, according to court documents.
The case unfolded as police investigated a series of home invasions dating back to late November, during which multiple high-value items were stolen, including Rolex watches, diamond jewelry, silver dishware, a signed Seahawks football jersey and luxury clothing.
Hutchison’s name surfaced as a suspect after investigators identified a pattern — stolen vehicles were frequently used in subsequent burglaries and surveillance footage captured a man matching his description at multiple crime scenes. A crucial breakthrough came when detectives linked his phone records to locations of several burglaries, including the Dec. 30 incident in Sammamish. With mounting evidence, authorities began tracking Hutchison’s movements in early January.
On Feb. 19, investigators tracked Hutchison to Secure Space Storage in Everett. At 11:55 a.m., Hutchison left on a bicycle, which he later loaded into the back of a white 2017 Lexus RX — reported stolen in a Seattle burglary between Feb. 15 and Feb. 18. Investigators attempted to follow him but lost sight of the vehicle near Everett Mall.
Hutchison used “counter-surveillance” tactics to avoid being caught, including parking vehicles far away from his destination, according to a probable cause statement.
On Feb. 24, police connected the stolen Lexus to an earlier burglary, where silverware, keys, computers and the Lexus itself were taken.
By Feb. 25, investigators identified two storage units leased by Hutchison at Secure Space Storage. The next day, a judge granted a warrant to search his motel room, vehicle and storage units.
Surveillance teams followed Hutchison on Feb. 27 from the Best Motel in Shoreline to Public Storage, where he was seen entering one of his Seattle units, according to court documents. Officers moved in and arrested him inside the unit. A subsequent search of four storage units, his motel room and a stolen BMW SUV uncovered a trove of suspected stolen goods, including firearms, ammunition, car titles, high-end jewelry and electronics.
Hutchison faces charges including first-degree burglary, multiple counts of residential and second-degree burglary, firearm and vehicle theft, possession of stolen vehicles, identity theft and unlawful possession of firearms, according to court documents. Authorities allege he also stole a gun safe containing 11 firearms, despite being legally prohibited from possessing weapons.
His criminal record includes multiple felony convictions, including residential burglary, possession of stolen property and firearm theft dating back to 2017. Court records show he has had 24 warrants since that time. He was previously convicted of residential burglary in King County in 2021 and sentenced in June of that year.
Hutchison is scheduled for arraignment on March 17 in King County Superior Court. Prosecutors have requested bail be set at $250,000.
Aspen Anderson: 425-339-3192; aspen.anderson@heraldnet.com; X: @aspenwanderson.
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