A 21-year-old man in Wrangell was charged with 11 criminal counts, including three auto thefts, after a spree of car break-ins last Friday night.
According to charging documents from the Wrangell Police Department, the suspect started his night with a few beers at the Marine Bar. Bartenders reported that the suspect tried to take a keg of beer before he left. After that he took to the downtown streets.
In one night, the suspect broke into at least seven cars, driving off with three of those. One Wrangell resident woke up Saturday morning to see his truck wasn’t in his driveway. Later that day, he found it in a ditch, granted, with no noticeable damage. Another man saw the suspect break into his car and back into the road, only to have a bystander step in and stop him from taking the car for a joyride. The city says all vehicles are back to their rightful owners.
The police pieced together a timeline of the night based on reports and video surveillance footage from local business like the Bay Company and Svendsen’s Marine Works.
The suspect charged is 21-year-old Ismael Morales. Officer Damon Roher apprehended the suspect Saturday afternoon at the airport. As of Monday, the suspect is in custody in Wrangell on a $5000 bail. His preliminary hearing is on September 3rd.
Morales recently moved to Wrangell to work at the cannery.
