JOYCE — A dozen firearms and other stolen property were recovered from two storage units in Joyce on Oct. 28 and 29, a Clallam County sheriff’s detective said.
Some of the items were believed to have been stolen in an Oct. 24 burglary south of Port Angeles, while others were reported as stolen from recent vehicle prowls and burglaries in Port Angeles, Sheriff’s Detective Sgt. John Keegan said.
The storage units were “chock full” of stolen tools, lawn equipment, clothing, glassware, bicycles and other items, Keegan said.
The status of two additional firearms found in the storage units is still under investigation, Keegan said.
Detectives have been contacting victims of alleged burglaries to return their property and to identify who may be responsible for the crimes.
Deputies on Oct. 22 arrested Jesse J. Johns, 28, and Bryan P. Kirby, 27, both of Port Angeles, who had been reported as acting suspiciously in the area of Mount Angeles and East Scrivner roads south of Port Angeles, Keegan said.
Investigators said they developed probable cause that Johns and Kirby were in possession of property that had been stolen south of Port Angeles.
Deputies obtained a search warrant for the moving van that Johns and Kirby were in and found items that were taken from cars and buildings in and around Port Angeles a few weeks prior, Keegan said.
It was during the course of this investigation that detectives obtained a search warrant for the storage units.
Johns, who was renting the storage units, is not believed to have taken all the items that were found in the storage units, Keegan said.
Johns was charged Oct. 27 with one count of first-degree unlawful possession of a firearm for a weapon that was discovered in the moving van.
He also was charged Monday in a separate court case with four counts of first-degree unlawful possession of a firearm for weapons that were found in the storage sheds he was renting.
Kirby was charged Oct. 27 with one count of second-degree unlawful possession of a firearm.
The case is still under investigation.
“It’s related to many smaller cases,” Keegan said.
“It’s taking a long time to sort all this stuff out.”
Detectives are working with the Clallam County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office as the investigation continues, Keegan said.
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5072, or at rollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
