Two men, including a registered sex offender, were taken into custody after deputies say they were caught inside a vacant Port Angeles home actively attempting to steal items.
The incident unfolded Tuesday morning, March 17, when the caretaker of a vacant property on West Pollow Road reported seeing a suspected burglary in progress on the home’s surveillance system, according to the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies responded to the scene and were assisted by officers from the Port Angeles Police Department. Authorities quickly set up a perimeter around the home, and a police K-9 unit was deployed.
Law enforcement confirmed people were inside the residence after hearing movement and spotting one individual near a window, according to the sheriff’s office. Deputies then ordered the suspects to exit the home.
Two men — identified as 44-year-old Mark Keend and 43-year-old Joshua Wilson — came out of the residence and were taken into custody without incident.
Investigators determined the pair had forced their way into the vacant home and had gathered items into bags, allegedly preparing to remove them from the property, deputies said.
Both men were transported to the Clallam County Jail, where they were booked on charges of residential burglary and malicious mischief.
Authorities said both suspects have prior criminal histories, including felony convictions tied to burglary, theft, possession of stolen property, and attempting to elude law enforcement. Wilson is also a registered sex offender.
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