Two Elderly Couples Victims of Burglary

Suspect:  Hispanic Male, heavy set, 5'10" to 5'11", early 50's
Suspect:  Hispanic Female, heavy set, 5'5" tall, mid-40's

Suspect vehicles:  unknown make and model pick up, unknown make and model white van

On July 9 Richland PD was contacted by Sunnyside PD and advised that two safes had been located in a dumpster in their city.  Both safes had been forced open but one still contained paperwork belonging to a resident in the 200 block of Goethals in Richland.  Contact was attempted with the residents of the home with no success.  On July 10 Richland officers were successful in contacting a victim on Goethals.  An elderly couple lived in the home and were attended part time by a friend of the family.

Officers asked if there were any safes in the residence.  The care taker answered that there were and went to check on them.  He discovered that they were both missing.  The safes were described as being approximately 2 feet square.  He believed that they contained coins, silver certificates and paperwork.

The care taker said that the suspects had made contact with the home several days earlier (July 7) and asked to perform some tree service work.  The female had spent time on the back porch of the home with the caretaker and it is presumed that this presented the opportunity for a suspect to take the safes.  In addition, the suspect has asked if he could exchange some $10 and $20 bills they had for a $100 bill.  After being told that there was no cash in the house, the couple left in a hurry.  No work was ever completed.

The caretaker of the couple stated that there were 2 children with an approximate age of 9-12 years of age with the couple.

Another case with a similar set of circumstances occurred on July 7 in the 100 block of Thayer Drive.  A couple with two children fitting the same description entered a back yard and spoke to a resident about performing some yard work.  He again asked if he could exchange some $20's for a $100.  The resident removed a $100 bill from a drawer (leaving five additional bills) and exchanged it for the suspect.  The female and two children entered the residence through the back drawer and created a small disturbance.  After leaving the elderly couple found that five $100 bills had been removed from the drawer where they were kept.

Based upon the suspect descriptions and details of the cases it appears as if these two incidents are related.  RPD investigators have been assigned the case for follow up.

If anyone has any additional information on these cases they are asked to contact Richland police at 509-628-0333.

For additional details, call Cpt. Mike Cobb, 942-7362