Olympia police arrest second car prowl suspect in two weeks

Olympia police arrested another vehicle prowl suspect Wednesday after they found stolen property in the 34-year-old man’s car, home and a storage unit.

Jeremy Bunting of Olympia appeared before Thurston County Superior Court Judge Erik Price on Thursday. Price set bail at $5,000 and found probable cause for multiple charges: one count of unlawful posession of a controlled substance, one count of first-degree posession of stolen property, and multiple counts of vehicle prowling. The number of vehicle prowl charges hasn’t yet been determined.

Deputy Prosecutor Heather Stone said Bunting’s criminal history includes seven felony convictions.

According to the Olympia Police Department, Bunting was arrested after his black Range Rover was identified at the scene of multiple vehicle prowls.

On March 2, a Port of Olympia security guard asked the driver of a black Range Rover to leave a reserved parking lot. A vehicle prowl had been reported the previous night, so the security guard wrote down the vehicle’s license plate.

On March 14, a vehicle prowl was reported at Kennydell Park, on Black Lake. The victim reported seeing a black Range Rover drive away. The next day, the victim reported seeing the same vehicle and suspect at a gas station and took a photo of the suspect, the Range Rover and its license plate, according to police.

It was the same license plate the Port of Olympia security guard recorded.

On March 15, a victim was sleeping in his car at Priest Point Park, in Olympia, when his car window was smashed out. He awoke and startled the suspect, who fled in a black Range Rover. The man’s description of the suspect matched the one the Kennydell Park victim had provided, according to police.

Police identified Bunting, and obtained a search warrant. Officers found several stolen items, including purses, backpacks, clothing, electronics, golf clubs, motorcycle helmets, an inflatable kayak, sleeping bags, photo IDs, paperwork, a passport and two snowboards, according to police.

Police said Bunting confessed to using the storage unit to house stolen property and admitted to committing 20 or more vehicle prowls in the past month.

Officers searched Bunting and found methamphetamine, according to police.

Bunting is the second car prowl suspect arrested this month.

Christopher Ryan Camus, 30, is facing charges related to a vehicle prowling spree that hit dozens of vehicles on the city’s west side since January.

Camus was arrested March 10 at his mother’s apartment where he had been staying. While searching the suspect’s room, officers identified stolen paperwork and property belonging to 29 people, according to Olympia police.

Camus admitted to prowling more than 30 vehicles since mid-January, mostly around Capital Mall and Black Lake Boulevard, according to court documents.

This story was originally published March 17, 2016 at 4:42 PM with the headline "Olympia police arrest second car prowl suspect in two weeks."