Whatcom authorities arrest man accused of auto theft, dozens of Bellingham retail burglaries
A Whatcom County man has been charged with 29 retail thefts in Bellingham within a 157-day period between March 12 and Aug. 15, according to Megan Peters with the Bellingham Police Department. He also is accused of stealing his mother’s car Aug. 18.
Gregory Keefe, 42, is suspected of stealing from Barnes and Noble, Sportsman’s Warehouse, Target, GameStop, Fred Meyer and the REI Co-op. He allegedly stole from the Sportsman’s Warehouse 21 times, according to Peters.
Keefe was arrested for a string of burglaries in 2015 and was sentenced to 2 1/2 years in prison for the burglaries.
Police were able to link Keefe to the recent burglaries after he allegedly stole a box of ammunition from Sportsman’s Warehouse and then attempted to sell it to a pawnshop 10 minutes later, identifying himself as his dead relative, Christopher Keefe, who died in 2022, according to court documents.
Keefe is being charged with first-degree retail theft with special circumstances, first-degree theft with intent to resell, 25 counts of trafficking in stolen property and 24 counts of first-degree identity theft — all class B felonies. He also faces 18 counts of third-degree theft, a gross misdemeanor.
By establishing a pattern of behavior, police were able to link the other 29 thefts to Keefe, who was caught Oct. 5 when police responded to a report of two people using drugs in a vehicle parked at the 3000 block of Northwest Avenue, according to Peters.
When police made contact with the vehicle, Keefe again identified himself as Christopher. One of the responding officers knew who Keefe was, and that he would sometimes use Christopher’s identity. The officer was also able to verify Keefe had outstanding warrants for his arrest.
In a separate instance, Keefe is also being charged with taking a motor vehicle without permission in the second degree, a class C felony, in an Aug. 18 incident, when he allegedly stole his mother’s vehicle.
According to court documents, Keefe asked his mother if he could borrow the car. She told him no, and that if he took the vehicle she would report it as stolen. She then watched as he walked outside and took the vehicle anyway.
.jpg)