Suspect arrested in High School Road car prowl

Published 10:38 am Tuesday, December 23, 2014

A 30-year-old La Push man who Bainbridge police believe stole items this summer from an unlocked 1997 Jaguar that had been parked in front of the Best Western on High School Road was arrested this week.

Keenan Roger Ekegren was taken into custody Dec. 19. He has been charged with second-degree theft, a felony, in Kitsap County District Court.

Police claim Ekegren was seen stealing items from a car owned by the manager of the Best Western hotel, who had left the vehicle parked in front of the hotel while she was removing supplies for the business just before 10 p.m. Aug. 5.

The manager told police she returned to her car to see a man inside the vehicle and rifling through it.

When she screamed, the man ran away through the Safeway parking lot across the street.

The manager later discovered that two credit cards that had been left in the front seat console were missing.

Police found “fresh and sweaty” fingerprints on the inside and outside of the driver’s side window and recovered prints.

Another Bainbridge officer also noted the description of the suspect matched that of a suspicious man — identified as Ekegren — who police interviewed after he had been seen hanging out in the parking lot of Safeway while looking for a ride to Forks.

The Washington State Patrol Crime Lab matched the fingerprints from the car prowl to Ekegren on Aug. 24.

Ekegren was booked into Kitsap County Jail after his arrest this week. Bail was set at $5,000.

His next court appearance has been set for Jan. 6.

Conviction of second-degree theft can result in a maximum five-year prison sentence and a $10,000 fine.