VANCOUVER, Wash — Two suspects are in custody following an earlier police search that prompted evacuations at some businesses at a shopping center in northeast Vancouver Monday morning.
Police at the scene said that the remaining suspect was in custody shortly after 1 p.m., and officers could be seen taking down crime scene tape that had been blocking off part of the Heritage Market Center parking lot near the intersection of Northeast 162nd Avenue and Fourth Plain Boulevard.
Vancouver police initially reported Monday morning that they were evacuating the shopping center while they searched for a suspect who had fled into one of the complex's businesses.
In a news release later Monday afternoon, police said officers responded to a suspicious call in the shopping center parking lot at about 7:45 a.m. and found two men parked, each in a stolen vehicle. One of the vehicles was associated with a series of storage unit burglaries, police said.
One of the suspects was taken into custody immediately, but the other drove off, police said. After crashing, the driver ran on foot toward the shopping center and entered a business through a rear door.
Police evacuated the shopping center and then began searching, eventually locating the suspect in the ceiling area of one of the businesses. He surrendered and was taken into custody without incident at 1:07 p.m., police said.
Christopher Sabo, 28, was arrested for possession of a stolen vehicle and outstanding warrants for theft. Casey Pearson, 32, was arrested for burglary, possession of a stolen vehicle, theft of firearm and felon in possession of firearm. Police did not say which of them was the one who hid in the shopping center.
The Heritage Market Center is on the southwest corner of the 162nd Avenue and Fourth Plain intersection and is anchored by a Safeway grocery store, but is also home to several other businesses. Police did not give the name of the business where the suspect was found.
Portions of the shopping center parking lot could be seen roped off with caution tape during the search late Monday morning, with Clark County Sheriff's Office and Vancouver Police Department vehicles and personnel visible.
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