Renton Police say 'prolific car thief' caught in the act was arrested for 42nd time
Renton Police arrest prolific car theft suspect
After months of searching, Renton Police say they finally arrested a prolific car thief who was caught on camera stealing a truck in mid-July.
RENTON, Wash. - After months of searching, Renton Police say they finally arrested a "prolific car thief" who was caught on camera stealing a truck in mid-July.
Police say Curt Cox has been arrested more than 40 times in the past, and when detectives arrested him last week, he was caught driving yet another stolen vehicle and carrying a stolen gun.
Investigators said they'd been hot on his trail for about four months, after a tip came in from Crime Stoppers and diligent detectives helped ID him.
Officers say they located him in early October and finally were able to move in for a dramatic arrest which was recorded on body camera videos.
Curt Cox only had one question for officers when he was arrested for the 42nd time; the take-down caught on camera.
"What’d I do?", asked Cox in the video.
"You’re under arrest," replied an officer.
Renton Police say Cox was captured on cell phone video in the act of stealing a truck in July, which prompted the search for him.
Police said you could see Cox in the video, stealing a Ford truck from a man who was visiting his mom at Valley Medical Center in Renton.
The video shows a man that looks like Cox with a screwdriver in hand, appearing to jam it into the ignition.
Court documents state that an employee thought that the man looked suspicious in the truck and started recording.
Unique tattoos were also visible. All of this allowed special operations team members to use social media posts and a driver's license photo to help ID him.
"They have surveilled him, they have tracked him," said Meeghan Black, Renton Police Department Communications Manager.
In early October, spokesperson Meeghan Black said officers located Cox after he was spotted in a Black Jeep Grand Cherokee "reported stolen from the Angle Lake Parking Garage in Seatac".
Security video from that garage showed a man that looked like Cox taking the Jeep. An image presented in court documents from those security cameras is pictured below.
"He is a prolific car thief," said Black.
Days later officers saw him again, but couldn't arrest him, "due to his reckless driving."
On November 7, the investigators used phone location information to track him to the Rustic Chalet Apartments.
He saw officers there and "attempted to run."
Though he took off before they could make an arrest, investigators later found him at the Burien Manor Apartments. That's where investigators say he was "walking towards the Jeep" while trying to discard "a stolen Walther PPS 9mm firearm and keys to the stolen Jeep."
He was arrested and given $115,000 bail in court. So far, he remains behind bars.
"We are just really happy that though this suspect tried to flee from us, he threw a stolen gun and keys to another stolen car, he was charged with our three cases, he has several other cases pending against him and the judge put a $115,000 bail on him, that is a success in this case," said Black.
Suspected car thief caught on camera in Renton
Renton Police are asking for the public's help to find a suspect who was caught on camera using a screwdriver to steal a truck.
The prosecuting attorney's office says his criminal history includes several convictions including;
- Taking Vehicle without Permission (2002 x3, 2003)
- Attempted Taking Vehicle without Permission 2 (2002)
- Taking Vehicle without Permission 2 (2005)
- Attempt to Elude (2002)
- Vehicle Prowl 2 (2002, 2005, 2010, 2014)
- Possessing Stolen Property 1 (2006, 2007 x2)
- Possession of Stolen Vehicle (2010), Theft 2 (2017)
Black says that the arrest was made possible through the new Violent Crime Unit or VCU. That team conducts longer-term investigations and tracks suspects regardless of where they live. So far, that unit has arrested at least 88 suspects and confiscated 24 weapons.
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