PORT ANGELES — A Clallam County Superior Court status hearing at 1:30 p.m. today will focus on a man linked to 27 commercial burglaries in 62 days, including 10 in which city power meters were damaged during the crimes.
John Troberg, Clallam County deputy prosecuting attorney, said Thursday he will ask Judge George L. Wood to add four burglary charges to two already filed against Andrew William White, 21.
White is in Clallam County jail on $10,000 bail for allegedly burglarizing Thai Pepper Restaurant at 222 N. Lincoln St., reported April 6, by forcing his way through a door and What’s in Store at The Landing mall half a block away at 115 E. Railroad Ave., reported April 9, by manipulating a door lock.
White has pleaded not guilty to those charges. A trial on the charges is set for 9 a.m. Sept. 12 in Superior Court.
Troberg said he will file a motion today that White also be charged with burglarizing Olympian Canna, a marijuana dispensary at 303 Tumwater Truck Route; Corrine’s Clipper & Style/Viva Salon, 337 E. Eighth St.; Sassy Kat Salon, 525 E. Eighth St.; and Olympic Eye Care, 504 E. Eighth St.
White is linked to more than two dozen commercial burglaries that occurred after business hours between Feb. 21 and April 23, according to a supplemental motion Troberg filed Tuesday in Superior Court.
Troberg said the six burglary charges are based on the basis of surveillance video, fingerprints or DNA analysis.
“I filed [charges] on the cases on which there was probable cause to show there was a direct connection with Mr. White, including fingerprint evidence, DNA evidence and surveillance videos,” he said.
According to police records, White, who is formerly of Arkansas, goes by the name “Arkansas.”
Before his arrest Jan. 15 on an unrelated criminal trespass charge, he lived at the Street Outreach Shelter at 520 E. First St., which is operated by Serenity House of Clallam County.
Port Angeles Police Detective Jason Viada said in an earlier interview that during the 27 burglaries, currency “in the thousands of dollars” was taken, but other valuables were left.
All but one burglary occurred in a central area of Port Angeles bounded on the west by DelGuzzi Drive, the north by East Lauridsen Boulevard, the east by Tumwater Truck Route and the south by Port Angeles Harbor, according to court documents.
Under state sentencing guidelines, if White is convicted of all six burglaries, he would be sentenced to 51 to 68 months, Troberg said.
White was arrested April 9 on the basis of a picture from a surveillance video of the burglary at What’s in Store, according to Port Angeles Patrol Officer Sky Sexton’s narrative in a certification for probable cause.
Sexton said White’s clothing matched that of the person in the video.
What’s in Store co-owner Evelyn Morgan said Thursday about $500 was stolen from two bank deposit bags in her store.
It was the only burglary in the nine years she has owned the establishment, she said.
The surveillance video showed the man who committed the burglary “wandering around with another guy” and was seen looking at a friend of hers who was working in the store “while she was closing,” said Morgan, who added she saw the surveillance tape.
“There were a lot of burglaries going on,” she said.
“I hope this time they will get him. I hope he stays in jail.”
Upon White’s arrest, police found $66 in ones and $100 in $20 bills rolled up and bound with a rubber band, as well as methamphetamine and marijuana pipes, Sexton said.
A man named in Troberg’s supplemental motion told police White said he broke into Blackbird Coffee House, 338 E. Eighth St., taking cash from the cash register.
The man “stated White bragged about cutting the power to businesses to bypass any video surveillance,” according to Troberg’s motion.
Whether the man will be charged is still under investigation, Troberg said.
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Senior Staff Writer Paul Gottlieb can be reached at 360-417-3536 or at paul.gottlieb@peninsuladailynews.com.
