Suspect arrested in $1M Seattle burglary ring, ‘jaws of life' used in ATM, safe thefts
The Brief
Local law enforcement and multiple federal agencies captured the leader of a crew suspected of multiple burglaries that used stolen vehicles and construction equipment.
The suspects, four in total, used fire department "jaws of life" tools to steal from large safes and ATMs at Seattle businesses.
The ringleader, Scott Rhodes, was booked into King County Jail for three counts of first-degree theft and three counts of malicious mischief.
SEATTLE - Seattle police announced the arrest of a suspect in a $1 million burglary ring on Tuesday, where a crew used stolen vehicles and construction equipment to steal multiple ATMs.
Local law enforcement and federal agencies assisted in the arrest operation on Feb. 19, where the ringleader, 30-year-old Scott Marcus Rhodes, was arrested.
A Seattle detective was assigned to investigate a string of burglaries in October 2024, where police say large safes and ATMs were being stolen and torn apart.
Police say the crew, consisting of four suspects, used stolen vehicles and fire department "jaws of life" tools to steal safe contents.
It's believed these crimes were planned, as the vehicles used in the burglaries were stolen days in advance. Seattle police estimate the crew stole around $1 million and caused $500,000 in property damage.
According to court documents, Rhodes and his group are responsible for an ATM theft at the BECU in Seattle's Fremont neighborhood.
They are also accused of several other ATM thefts, including at a Wells Fargo in the Magnolia neighborhood, another Wells Fargo in Greenwood, and a BECU in South Seattle.
It's unknown if a burglary at the SODO Kemp's Cannabis dispensary was one of the group's suspected crimes, as a person used the "jaws of life" on the store's ATMs.
Rhodes, the leader of the crew, was arrested by the King County Sheriff's SWAT Team in Edgewood in Pierce County. Investigators say they spotted Rhodes inside his car, and he tried to escape through the sunroof. He allegedly dropped a large bag of cocaine before being bit by a K9.
The arrest was a collective effort by an SPD detective, King County Sheriff's Office, FBI, Kent Police Department, Department of Corrections, Attorney General's Office, and Offices of the United States Attorneys.
Rhodes was booked into King County Jail for three counts of first-degree theft and three counts of malicious mischief. He also faces additional charges of two counts of second-degree burglary, two counts of possession of burglary tools, and separate charges for rape, assault and kidnapping. His bail was set at $225,000.
Rhodes will enter a plea on March 5 at the Maleng Regional Justice Center in Kent.
The Source
Information in this story is from a post from the Seattle Police Department, court documents from the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office and FOX 13 Seattle reporting.
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