Alert trooper's wife triggers theft arrests

ROYAL CITY  – The wife a Washington State Patrol Trooper is credited with calling in suspicios activity which led to the arrest of two people who were allegedly stealing scrap metal near Royal City.

The trooper’s wife saw people loading aluminum irrigation pipe into a pickup truck near County Road 10-Southeast and State Route 262 at about 5:45 p.m. on June 2.

Believing the people were stealing the metal for scrap, the woman called her husband, who was on duty nearby. The Trooper arrived a short time later and detained the people and then helped a Grant County Sheriff’s Deputy arrest the two.

The four sections of pipe, valued at $300, belonged to Zirkle Fruit, whose manager said the persons did not have permission to be on the property or to remove the pipe.

Rosanne Martinez, 44, of Royal City, was arrested on suspicion of third-degree theft, third-degree malicious mischief and possession of 0.6 grams of methamphetamine.

Damian Salmeron Arellano, 44, of Royal City, was arrested on suspicion of third degree-theft, third-degree malicious mischief and U.S. Border Patrol hold for being an illegal alien.

Both were lodged in the Grant County Jail.