PORT ANGELES — The Sequim man accused of trying to loot copper from the charred remains of the New Peking restaurant Sunday told a State Patrol trooper that he took bottles of liquor from the ruins two days earlier, court papers show.
Craig Steven Foster, 49, was charged Monday with second-degree burglary and criminal trespass for allegedly trying to loot the metal and other merchandise from the restaurant and lounge that burned down the morning of July 5.
He posted $500 bail Monday and awaits a Friday morning arraignment in Clallam County Superior Court.
The State Patrol said Foster was found in a white Cadillac Coupe de Ville on the shoulder of U.S. Highway 101 near River Road in Sequim early Friday morning.
Foster, whose clothes were covered in soot and ash, admitted that he scavenged unopened bottles of liquor from the rubble at 2416 E. U.S. Highway 101 in unincorporated Gales Addition just east of Port Angeles.
He was not charged, however, because the ownership of the restaurant was still in question, court papers show.
The owner of the New Peking, Kevin Fong, told investigators later Friday that Woford Insurance was the legal owner of the building.
The insurance company put up a 6-foot-tall chain-link temporary fence around the building Thursday.
Deputy Michael Backes wrote in the arrest narrative that a citizen phoned the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office at
7:09 a.m. Sunday to report a white Cadillac behind the damaged New Peking.
Deputies found a soot-covered Foster inside the building. He had dismantled the security fence to gain access, Chief Criminal Deputy Ron Cameron said.
Cameron said Foster had less than $750 worth of items in his car.
Backes wrote that he found burned copper piping on the left rear floorboard of the Cadillac.
Court papers allege that Foster had concealed “numerous bottles and cans of alcoholic beverages and energy drinks taken from the restaurant” under a blanket.
Deputies found soot-covered coins and “numerous pieces of copper piping and copper wiring” in the trunk.
Scrap copper is one of the more coveted metals for resale.
Cause of the fire remains under investigation. The site is cordoned off by fire tape and the temporary fence, which was not permanently damaged by Sunday’s burglary, detectives said.
Foster has a history of theft and drug charges in Clallam County courts.
His last Superior Court case was a theft charge filed in January 2007.
Foster, also known as “Cadillac Craig,” was accused of taking $4,000 worth of tools from a construction site in October 2005 and trying to sell them. He was charged with first-degree possession of stolen property and second-degree theft.
Foster pleaded not guilty, but changed his plea as part of a plea bargain and was sentenced to three months in jail and community service.
In April 2006, Foster was accused of selling methamphetamine to an Olympic Peninsula Narcotic Enforcement Team, or OPNET, informant. He was charged with two counts of delivery of methamphetamine, to which he changed his plea to guilty and was ordered to pay fines.
In 2002, Foster was charged with possession of methamphetamine and marijuana. He was sentenced to community service.
In addition to the felony cases, Foster is listed as having 13 misdemeanor cases in Clallam County District Court from 2001 to last month.
Second-degree burglary is a Class B felony punishable by a maximum of 10 years in prison and $20,000 fine. Second-degree criminal trespass is a misdemeanor.
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-417-3537 or at rob.ollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com
