AGNEW — A multi-agency manhunt last week — involving 15 to 20 patrol cars and a helicopter — was for a man believed to be involved in a recent rash of thefts at local construction sites who earlier had escaped from authorities after he was taken into custody, said a witness.
Clallam County Undersheriff Ron Peregrin said Sunday afternoon that the unidentified man remained at large.
Sequim resident Sally Parry — who along with her husband, Nick Parry, owns Parry Construction Co. — said that authorities on Friday found most of the equipment that was stolen from one of their job sites earlier this month in a home near Barr Road in the Agnew area.
She said she was called to the scene that evening and identified much of the construction equipment in a garage at the home as belonging to her company.
Sally Parry said the man who authorities — the Sequim Police Department, Clallam County Sheriff’s Office, Coast Guard, the State Patrol and the Border Patrol — were looking for in the same area Friday evening was a suspect in that investigation.
She said authorities told her that he had escaped police custody before she arrived at the scene.
Peregrin — who said that the sheriff’s office was assisting the lead agency, Sequim Police Department — would confirm only that authorities were looking for a man believed to be involved in recent thefts in the area and that he had fled.
He said that he did not want to hinder the continuing investigation by releasing more information about the case.
Peregrin declined to identify or describe the man for the same reason.
He referred questions to the Sequim Police Department. Sequim police involved in the investigation could not be reached for comment Sunday after repeated attempts.
Sally Parry said she did not know how the man escaped custody.
Rash of thefts
The Parrys — who had about $18,000 worth of equipment stolen from a job site in the Willow Creek subdivision Nov. 15 — aren’t the only construction company owners to have had equipment stolen recently.
Sheriff’s Chief Criminal Deputy Ron Cameron said last week that there have been other job site thefts recently, including a tractor taken near Sequim Bay State Park.
The manhunt itself was hard to miss, said nearby residents.
‘Pretty exciting’
“All up and down Barr Road, cop cars were cruising . . .,” resident Richard Wenger said. “It was pretty exciting for awhile.”
Wenger estimated some 15 to 20 patrol cars were along Old Olympic Highway and Barr Road on Friday night.
Carol Reed said she allowed police to search the out buildings on her property and that the Coast Guard helicopter was circling the area for hours.
“You’re used to seeing this stuff on “Cops” all the time . . . it was kind of funny to see it at the front door,” she said.
Sally Parry said that nearly all of the stolen Parry Construction Co. equipment has been recovered by authorities.
Some equipment was recovered Friday morning after being sold locally, she said.
Between that and what was found at the Agnew home, about “95 percent” of the equipment has been found, she added, saying she was relieved.
“I am very thankful for the way people stepped forward,” she said of those who provided authorities with leads.
Still missing are a 10-foot-long 1993 tan Northwest Customs closed box utility trailer, a guitar, a leaf blower, some folding chairs, a telephone and a toaster oven, she said.
The equipment that has been found is worth about $13,000, Sally Parry said, adding that the trailer itself cost about $5,500 when it was purchased.
“When and if we are getting our job shack back, we are definitely going to do things differently,” she said, referring to on-site security.
Anyone with more information about the thefts can contact the Sequim Police Department at 360-683-7227.
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Reporter Tom Callis can be reached at 360-417-3532 or at tom.callis@peninsuladailynews.com.
