Goldilocks case: Couple suspected of burglary caught on game cams by homeowner



ASHFORD, Wash. – A real life case of Goldilocks in Ashford adds up to felony charges, the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department said Tuesday.

A distinctive-looking woman with blonde pigtail braids and a shirtless tattooed man are caught on game cameras that were set up by a homeowner. They are suspected of burglary.

“Someone had been in the hot tub and I could tell,” said Gregg Johnson, adding that over the course of a few weeks he noticed things were missing and misplaced in his Ashford vacation home.

“My wife found a cigarette butt in the driveway,” he said, “little things like that.”

After installing game cameras purchased at Cabela’s, Johnson’s fears added up. Someone was taking his summer home and making it their own.

He installed the game cameras in a tree and covered the electronics with moss. He said the couple never even noticed they were being filmed when they showed up two days later.

“First thing he did when he got out of the car was he pulled up my ‘no trespassing’ sign and threw it in the woods,” he said. “All of a sudden, he’s invited on my property -- I don’t think so.”

The video shows that over the course of 20 minutes, the man and woman go through Johnson’s things. He said they take electrical cords, rope, signs and even housewarming gifts that had been given to the family.

“I want them busted,” said Johnson.

The Pierce County Sheriff Department wants them caught as well.

“Identification of these suspects could solve many burglary cases in that area,” said Detective Sgt. Gary Sanders. “Burglaries aren’t usually not just a onetime thing, usually we have career criminals that are repeatedly violating people’s rights and property and burglarizing multiple homes.”

“To pull into my driveway at four in the afternoon, walk up and steal a bunch of my stuff and walk off,” said Johnson, “this isn’t their first time obviously.”

The Pierce County Sheriff’s Department identified the car as a red KIA with Oregon license plates. The man has distinctive tattoos on his back and is said to be taller than average. The woman, described as “average build wearing a black poke-a-dotted summer jumper” has blonde pigtail braids that hang below her shoulders.

“I wasn’t going to stand by and let somebody make us afraid to go to our own house, knowing or not knowing if someone was going to be there stealing our stuff,” said Johnson.

If you know who one or both of the individuals are, Crime Stoppers of Tacoma/Pierce County will pay you a cash reward up to $1,000 per suspect. Call 1-800-222-TIPS.