Bellingham man arrested after allegedly stealing items, waking woman during burglary
A Bellingham man was arrested early Friday morning after he allegedly broke into a woman’s house, woke her, and stole several items before fleeing, according to Bellingham Police Lt. Claudia Murphy.
Saxon Kayne Russell, 22, was booked into the Whatcom County Jail on Dec. 18, on suspicion of residential burglary, second-degree theft, four counts of possession of a controlled substance and one count of third-degree introducing contraband.
Shortly before 12:30 a.m. on Friday, Bellingham police officers were called to a residential burglary in the 3000 block of East North Street. A woman woke up to an unknown man standing several feet away from her inside her home, Murphy said.
The woman did not know the man, who was later identified as Saxon, and “was frightened by his presence,” Murphy said. After Saxon realized the woman was awake, he fled her home and allegedly stole her taser and a vape pen, Murphy said.
The woman also found items that should have been in the house were moved to the garage. A large number of tools belonging to another victim were found neatly stacked about 100 feet from the residence, Murphy said.
A K-9 team arrived and K-9 Destro found Saxon on Vining Street, where he was taken into custody without further incident, Murphy said.
While the woman did not know Russell, other people in her house did know him, Murphy said.
During a search of Russell, several prescription bottles belonging to a second victim were found in Russell’s pockets. The woman’s taser and other un-prescribed medications were also found, Murphy said.
Russell also allegedly attempted to smuggle the woman’s vape pen into the jail, Murphy said.
“Great job by our night shift officers in catching this burglar, recovering the stolen property and calming a very frightened resident by their presence. PSD Destro earned his Scooby snacks for the shift!,” the Bellingham Police Department wrote on Facebook about the incident.
