Thieves fast forwarded to jail

POULSBO — Three local teenagers banked on a big payoff but got two thumbs down from police in a botched burglary over the weekend.

Poulsbo residents Patrick Gilbert and Tyler Lofall, both 18, and an unidentified 17-year-old boy were arrested Aug. 17 for burglarizing the Poulsbo Hollywood Video, off State Highway 305. About $3,000 in stolen cash and checks were recovered from Lofall’s home in the arrest.

The 17-year-old is not being identified because he is a minor.

The theft, which occurred late Saturday or early Sunday, was facilitated by Gilbert, who was a night manager at Hollywood Video.

“Lofall suggested to Gilbert that they burglarize the store because he knew all of the safe combinations,” explained Poulsbo Police Department spokesperson Sgt. Bill Playter.

Saturday evening, the two 18-year-olds had lost about $700 at the Clearwater Casino in about 15 minutes. The 17-year-old was present at the casino but was not gambling.

After their losing streak, they then decided to reimburse themselves out of the Hollywood Video coffers.

Under the guise of fixing a ceiling light, Gilbert had repositioned the store’s surveillance camera in the hopes of not being caught on tape. Gilbert and the 17-year-old stood lookout while Lofall broke a window and removed about $3,000 in cash and checks from the shop’s safe. They maintained contact throughout the incident via cell phone. Afterward, the stolen goods were taken to Lofall’s home.

Detective Grant Romaine and officer Bob Wright of PPD investigated the incident and police were able to make arrests Sunday morning.

“They were able to put a case together very quickly. They got confessions and now these three are in jail,” Playter said.

All of the stolen items were recovered.

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