Spokane police arrest four for residential burglary

Spokane police on Saturday arrested four people suspected of stealing a loaded handgun, televisions, game systems and other property from a home in North Spokane. Arrested and booked into Spokane County Jail on first-degree burglary charges were: Patrick J. Hamilton, 23, Hilary A. Knapp, 29, Patrick Seidler, 47, and David R. Williams, 23. Hamilton also was charged with possession of a stolen car and stolen gun, unlawful possession of a firearm, first-degree trafficking in stolen property and possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine). Knapp also was charged with first-degree trafficking in stolen property and first-degree possession of stolen property. Seidler also was charged with first-degree possession of stolen property, a news release from the Spokane Police Department said. Police were tipped by a citizen who said he saw people taking property from a vehicle to a known drug house near Alberta Street and Francis Avenue. While the police department’s Patrol Anti-Crime Team (PACT) members watched the house, a call came in of a burglary on the 100 block of East Heroy Avenue. Officers noted that the suspected vehicle was registered to the Heroy Avenue address. Officers responding to the burglary discovered that the vehicle had recently been stolen from that address, along with a loaded handgun, two televisions and other property, the release said. The investigation led officers to three more locations where they found the suspects and recovered stolen property. Police said the suspects entered the home through an unlocked kitchen window. They said the suspects unloaded the stolen property at a local motel then one of them returned to steal the car. They traded stolen property for money and drugs, but police believe they recovered most of the stolen items, the release said. Police said the rate of residential and commercial burglaries has increased recently and encourage citizens to watch over their neighbors and call in suspicious behavior. They also urged people to lock their doors, windows and cars.