Deputies recover stolen items from fairgrounds

MOSES LAKE - Grant County sheriff's deputies recovered more than $10,000 worth of stolen property Monday taken from the Grant County Fairgrounds.

Joshua J. Griffin, 35, of Moses Lake was arrested on suspicion of first-degree possession of stolen property.

Deputies answered a call Monday morning for a break-in at the fairgrounds on Airway Drive Northeast on the outskirts of Moses Lake. According to the sheriff's office, numerous tools including a chainsaw, and a Kawasaki Mule ATV were reported stolen late Sunday or early Monday. Tracks from the ATV were seen heading toward the 4000 block of Airway Drive. While checking the area, deputies saw a man using a chainsaw similar to the one reported stolen. According to reports, deputies determined the chainsaw was stolen from the fairgrounds after talking to Griffin.

Deputies received a search warrant for 4209 Airway Drive and reportedly found all the stolen items with the exemption of a laptop.

"I really applaud the deputies who solved this crime," Sheriff Tom Jones said. "Taxpayer money and revenues from the fair helped buy the things that were stolen, and to have those recovered means those hard-earned dollars won't be lost."

The Moses Lake Police Department recovered additional stolen property on a second search warrant from a separate burglary.