Pasco man charged in local burglary

MOSES LAKE — People reportedly found a Pasco man inside of a Moses Lake residence holding a backpack filled with stolen items.

Grant County prosecutors charged Larry Rangel, 21, of Pasco, with residential burglary and third-degree theft.

On Feb. 6 the Grant County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a burglary in progress in the 9800 block of Apple Drive Northeast. Deputies responded and spoke to witnesses who were standing in front of the Apple Drive residence. The witnesses stated they were walking toward their friend’s residence when they noticed a window open in the residence next door to their friend’s house, according to police records.

They said they checked to see if the door was unlocked so they could secure the window again, but the door was locked. The witnesses allegedly entered the residence and observed Rangel holding a backpack filled with items. They told Rangel they were going to contact authorities and he attempted to run away. One of the witnesses placed Rangel in a chokehold in an attempt to detain him and punched him with his right fist. Rangel dropped the backpack and went into his friend’s residence.

When deputies arrived at the scene and initially contacted Rangel he reportedly had a bloodied nose and advised he would be willing to cooperate with the courts about assault charges for his bloodied face.

Deputies located the backpack, which reportedly contained tools, three hand sanders and a doorknob. The landlord and property owner of the residence noticed the initials for his business were on the hand sanders in the backpack. He said no one was allowed to be in the burglarized residence, which he pointed out was used to store his tools and other items.

Rangel told deputies he helped work on houses in the area with his cousin. He said his cousin was in and out of the burglarized Apple Drive residence and gave him permission to use the tools. Rangel said his cousin had keys to other houses in the area.

Rangel asked to speak with the property owner and allegedly told him his cousin was using tools in the house. The property owner said he had not given permission for anyone to go into the house or use anything inside of it. Deputies reportedly found marijuana on Rangel when he was searched. The marijuana was disposed of by a deputy, according to police records.