In brief: Tracks lead police to burglary suspect

Freshly fallen snow continues to be one Spokane police’s allies.

After items were stolen from a construction site on South Hemlock on Thursday, police followed prints in the snow to the suspect’s transient camp, said Spokane police Officer Jennifer DeRuwe. His shoes gave him away.

Officers who followed the footprints found a stolen battery charger, power tools and other construction items, DeRuwe said. When they reached the transient camp, they found a man inside a sleeping bag. He got up and put on a pair of shoes that matched the footprints in the snow.

Manly Bacon, 47, was arrested on charges of first-degree theft and second-degree burglary, DeRuwe said.

Reward offered for forgery suspect

Secret Witness is offering a reward for information that leads to the arrest of a suspected check forger who is on the run.

Peter G. Reuteler is wanted on a $25,000 warrant charging him with leading organized crime, said Spokane County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Dave Reagan.

Reuteler is described as 5 feet 4 inches tall and 150 pounds with brown hair and eyes. His last known address was in the Cheney area, Reagan said.

Anyone with information regarding Reuteler’s whereabouts is urged to call (509) 327-5111. Callers do not have to give their name to collect the cash reward but are encouraged to leave a code name or number with the operator.

Sex offender has moved into county

Spokane County sheriff’s officials want to notify residents that a level 3 sex offender is living in the 100 block of North Rambo Road on the west side of the county.

Charles Emerson L. Smith Jr., 35, is described as 5 feet 6 inches tall and 155 pounds with brown hair and hazel eyes, said Spokane County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Dave Reagan. Smith was convicted of third-degree child molestation in 1992. His victim was a young girl he was baby-sitting.

OLYMPIA

Federal aid sought for wind damage

Gov. Chris Gregoire has requested federal disaster aid for December windstorm damage in 19 counties.

Gregoire said the aid is especially needed to repair utilities. Falling trees took out power lines for nearly 1.5 million customers.

The aid could help pay for removing debris and emergency repairs to roads and bridges, public utilities, buildings and parks.

The Dec. 14-15 windstorm has been called the strongest in Washington since the 1993 Inauguration Day windstorm.

The request covers Chelan, Clallam, Clark, Grant, Grays Harbor, Island, King, Klickitat, Lewis, Mason, Pacific, Pend Oreille, Pierce, San Juan, Skagit, Skamania, Snohomish, Thurston and Wahkiakum counties.

Seattle

Two accused of stealing vases

Two men are charged with stealing some 500 brass vases from cemeteries in SeaTac, Bellevue and Renton last year.

Mark Allen Hyler, 45, and Leon Keith Chartier, 35, were charged in King County Superior Court with second-degree trafficking in stolen property.

Chartier, a registered sex offender, was in the King County Jail in lieu of $20,000 bail. Hyler posted $5,000 bail and was released after the two men were arrested in late October.

Police began investigating the men after hundreds of vases were stolen from the Washington Memorial Funeral Home in SeaTac. The two are accused of trying to sell them as scrap metal.

Compiled from staff

and wire reports.