PORT ANGELES — A Port Angeles man arrested for investigation of possession of stolen property was tracked to his home by a burglarized business owner who then called police for assistance, court records say.
Sean V. Della, 26, was arrested for investigation of second-degree possession of stolen property after the Sunday morning burglary of Spotlight Tanning and Apparel, 715 E. First St.
He had been cornered at his home by Mandi Gallacci, owner of the business, and her friends after she tracked him to an apartment at 934 W. Lauridsen Blvd. on Sunday.
Gallacci called police, who took Della into custody after he fled out the back window of the apartment. Officers found him at South C and West Madrona streets.
Officers said they found items they said were from the Spotlight burglary and other items thought to be stolen goods at Della’s home.
The action taken by Gallacci underscores the frustration with police that business owners expressed after they attended a bail hearing for Della on Monday.
After the hearing, eight or nine business owners told of a string of Port Angeles burglaries committed in the last two to three weeks and complained of a lack of police responsiveness.
Two estimated that they had lost more than $20,000 in the last few months.
Port Angeles Police Chief Terry Gallagher said that rising crime and reduced police staffing have led to frustration for both business owners and police.
“We are doing everything we possibly can, but right now we are only able to keep our finger in the dike,” Gallagher said Tuesday.
Police staffing has fallen from the Port Angeles City Council approved staffing of 32 officers to 27 officers due to an open position, two new officers still at the police academy and two officers absent due to medical or bereavement leave, he said.
There are three to four officers on duty at any given time, and they are usually kept running from call to call all day, Gallagher said.
“When I started with the department 30 years ago, we always started our shift with a cup of coffee. Today we’re having trouble giving our officers breaks during their shifts,” he said.
There is no time for coffee breaks, no time for dedicated traffic enforcement, he said, and there is very little time to investigate property crimes.
At Gallacci’s store, a burglar took about $4,000 in jeans and other merchandise from the store before dawn Sunday.
Security footage showed a man with a husky build gathering items from her store, she said.
Gallacci posted the video on Facebook, and several of those who saw the video said they thought the man was Della.
On Sunday evening, Gallacci, with a group of family and friends, confronted Della at his home, she said.
According to a probable cause statement written by Port Angeles Police Officer Allen Brusseau, police dispatchers received a call from Gallacci at 6:12 p.m. Sunday, stating that she had Della “restrained” at 934 W. Lauridsen Blvd.
Della had two outstanding warrants for his arrest after failing to appear at a court hearing Thursday for an unrelated attempted burglary charge.
Clallam County Court documents said police met one of Gallacci’s friends, Robert LaBelle, at the apartments, who told police Della had just entered apartment 110, and was still inside.
Della fled out the back window of the apartment, was located by officers at South C and West Madrona streets, and taken into custody.
Police said they are appreciative of public assistance, but warned against vigilantism.
“It’s a double-edged sword,” Gallagher said.
Information received from alert citizens help police do their job, but there is risk involved if citizens go after criminals themselves, Gallagher said.
“It’s a recipe for disaster,” he said.
Gallagher said that the number of crimes against people — particularly crimes against children — has risen to the point that it is the number one priority, to the expense of many other programs.
An officer assigned exclusively to the downtown business area to try to combat the crime problem has been reassigned to patrol to fill in for empty patrol assignments, he said.
He said even if the department was fully staffed, there is still more crime than officers available for full investigations.
Renu Chaummalung and Kasemsri Chuammalang of Sabai Thai, Jacob Oppelt, co-owner of Moss and Next Door Gastropub, Todd Clayton of Athlete’s Choice and Haley Ray and Mark Ray of Bada Bean were among the business owners gathered at Della’s hearing.
Each of them said they either have a security system that will alert for a break-in or are installing one.
“There are not enough police to respond to a report,” Clayton said.
By the time officers arrive at the scene, the burglar is gone, along with their merchandise, he said.
Police staffing levels are determined by the city budget, as approved by the City Council.
The City Council supports the concept of increasing the number of officers, but there has been no funding to actually hire officers, Gallagher said.
According to a report prepared using Washington state crime statistics, the city of Aberdeen, population 17,000, has a very similar crime rate as Port Angeles, population 20,000, but has 40 police officers, compared to 32 in Port Angeles.
Della’s case has been particularly frustrating, as an officer assigned to investigate the case was repeatedly called away to respond to urgent calls Monday, Gallagher said.
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Reporter Arwyn Rice can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5070, or at arice@peninsuladailynews.com.
