Former officer helps catch car theft suspect

MOSES LAKE — A Moses Lake woman was arrested Tuesday morning after she reportedly stole a vehicle and was apprehended by a former police officer.

Jessica Poulos, 33, of Moses Lake, was reportedly walking in the Sand Dunes Road area when she reportedly found an unlocked vehicle with a key in the ignition. Poulos allegedly got into the vehicle and drove away, according to Moses Lake Police Department Capt. Mike Williams.

“After driving for a bit, she picked up a male accomplice and for reasons known only to her, drove back to the area where she stole the car and parked,” Williams said.

Poulos allegedly stole $325 worth of items from the vehicle and walked away with her male accomplice. A neighbor notified the owner of the vehicle, who started looking for the suspects with his father, who is a former police officer and the owner/operator of Columbia Basin Spray Service.

The suspects were found in the area and detained until officers arrived. Police recovered the stolen items and reportedly found seven checks that were stolen out of a mailbox in the neighborhood. Poulos was booked into the Grant County Jail for theft of a motor vehicle, seven counts of second-degree possession of stolen property and third-degree theft.

“The Moses Lake Police Department would like to thank the observant neighbor who upon noticing the criminal behavior, notified the vehicle owner. Police can’t be everywhere at once, and we depend on our partners in the community to be our eyes and ears,” Williams stated. “We would also like to remind people that mail theft is rampant in Moses Lake and we strongly recommend people do not use unlocked mailboxes when sending or receiving checks.”

Richard Byrd can be reached via email at city@columbiabasinherald.com.