Man allegedly broke into a Bellingham auto dealership and began siphoning gas
A Ferndale man was arrested earlier this week for allegedly breaking into a Bellingham dealership, causing thousands of dollars in damage to multiple vehicles and siphoning gas from the fuel tanks.
Travis Wayne Strait, 39, was arrested Monday, Nov. 11, on suspicion of first-degree malicious mischief, third-degree theft and warrants for obstruction and second-degree possession of stolen property.
Shortly before 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 14, surveillance footage showed a man, later identified as Strait, driving a truck into the closed business lot at The Autohaus dealership in the 1600 block of Iowa Street, Bellingham Police Lt. Claudia Murphy told The Bellingham Herald.
Strait reportedly parked his truck, then opened the fuel doors of four different vehicles and siphoned fuel from the gas tanks. Strait allegedly damaged the fuel doors and fuel sensors while trying to siphon the gas from the vehicles, causing approximately $6,500 worth of damage, and stole approximately $100 of fuel, Murphy said.
The Autohaus posted on social media asking for help identifying Strait. Witnesses were able to confirm the man who drove the truck was Strait and turned all the information in to law enforcement, Murphy said.
Strait was booked into Whatcom County Jail Nov. 11 on warrants he had for his arrest, and he was served for The Autohaus incident while in jail, Murphy said.
This story was originally published November 14, 2019 at 5:00 AM.
