Moses Lake man arrested, charged with weapon theft

MOSES LAKE - A Moses Lake man was arrested Monday morning after allegedly threatening a person with a pistol to then stealing their rifle.

Eric Applegate, 45, was arrested on armed robbery and a multitude of other charges according to a press release from the Moses Lake Police Department.

The release also states that the victim of the robbery had gone to a homeless camp in Moses Lake Monday morning, and had brought with him a legally possessed shotgun slung on his shoulder. The victim said he did not have the ability to lock his residence, so he carried the shotgun with him.

At the camp, Applegate allegedly threatened the victim with the pistol by pointing it at his head, the release states, and then reportedly stole the shotgun from him.

The victim was able to flee unharmed and contacted police.

Officers arrested Applegate after obtaining a search warrant for the homeless camp where they found the stolen shotgun, a stolen pistol that matched the victim’s description of the gun Applegate allegedly threatened him with and an illegal short-barreled shotgun with the serial number removed.

The release states Applegate is not eligible to possess firearms.

Applegate was booked on charges of Robbery First Degree, Assault in the First Degree, Theft of a Firearm, three counts of Unlawful Possession of a Firearm, two counts of Possession of a Stolen Firearm, Alteration of Identifying Marks on a Weapon and Possession of an Unlawful Firearm, according to the release.