Arlington Police looking for suspect who burglarized home while family slept
ARLINGTON, Wash. - Arlington Police are looking for a man they say burglarized a home while the family slept and only stopped when someone woke up and discovered him.
Around 3 a.m. on Oct. 11, police responded to reports of a burglary at a home at the Chelsea Village Apartments.
A woman, her two children and her grandmother were all asleep in the home when police say the woman woke up to the sound of someone going through her things. She confronted the suspect, who was in the process of stealing her purse and a loaded firearm.
"He was within two or three inches, he was pretty much standing over the top of me," the woman told FOX 13. "He got very close. He lifted the blankets up on me."
The suspect ran out the back door and police were able to identify him as 32-year-old Luke James, a known criminal to law enforcement, police told FOX 13.
He was able to be identified thanks to a very unique face tattoo, which appears to be an eagle or some type of larger bird. James also has a distinct nose ring, has a medium build and is about six feet in height.
The victim said she did not know James. According to the woman's surveillance cameras, James was in her home for about seven to eight minutes.
The victim told FOX 13 that it's terrifying for her to think about what James was doing in that time.
"He could have shot me with my own gun. He could have killed my whole family," she said.
"As a dad as well as someone who has a family, I feel for the kids. I feel for the family. It’s going to be difficult to get back to that sense of normal," said Arlington police Lt. Peter Barrett
There is probable cause for James' arrest for first-degree burglary, theft of a firearm and unlawful possession of a firearm.
James is considered armed and dangerous. If you spot him, call 911 but do not approach him. Police say he is from the Arlington area but may be trying to flee-- possibly out of state.
He has also been previously featured on Washington's Most Wanted for breaking into a family's home and stealing electronics, jewelry and a credit card while the family was on vacation. He and an accomplice charged more than a thousand dollars to that homeowner's credit card.
If you have any information regarding his whereabouts, you can submit an anonymous tip to Crime Stoppers of Puget Sound at 1-800-222-TIPS or by using the P3 Tips app.
