3 pulled over in car with no tires accused of being organized theft ring
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Three suspects allegedly stole merchandise from four Kennewick stores on Nov. 10.
- Deputies stopped a Buick Acadia driving on rims and forced it off Interstate 182.
- All three face felony theft and burglary charges; two jailed on high bail amounts.
Three suspects are now charged with going on a one-day theft spree that ended with a chase on Interstate 182 in a car with no tires.
Exaundriea Christenberry, 29, Jose E. Sanchez, 20, and Anthony Jimenez, 22, allegedly stole items from four stores over the course of the day on Nov. 10, said investigators.
They are each charged in Benton County Superior Court with second-degree organized retail theft, second-degree robbery and second-degree burglary.
Christenberry faces an additional charge of third-degree retail theft.
Two of the suspects, Christenberry and Jimenez, remain in the Benton County jail in lieu of $935,000 for Christenberry and $500,000 for Jimenez. Sanchez has been released on a $50,000 bond.
Macy’s, Dick’s and Ranch & Home
On Nov. 10, Macy’s store security called to report that the suspects had stolen from both of their mall stores. The security officer told investigators that Christenberry and Jimenez regularly steal from the stores. Sanchez, who is related to Jimenez, joined the pair, said court documents.
Two of them were first seen at Macy’s men’s and children’s store. Christenberry allegedly loaded items into bags and handed them off to Sanchez, who put them into an SUV, court documents. They managed to get away with more than $1,100 worth of merchandise, said documents.
Christenberry and Jimenez went to the Macy’s main store later in the day and took more than $2,000 in items, said documents. Video showed them driving a Buick Acadia possibly missing two flat tires.
Dick’s Sporting Goods security called police about 7 p.m. after Christenberry came in with a device used to remove security tags. She then put $628 of YETI mugs into a bag before leaving the store, said documents.
Then the trio went to the nearby Ranch & Home store on Columbia Center Boulevard where Christenberry is accused of putting merchandise into a blue tote that Sanchez was holding.
As they started to leave the store, the security officer tried to stop them by grabbing the tote. The men fell, and Sanchez started kicking at the officer. During the fight, Sanchez called for Jimenez to help.
Video reportedly showed Christenberry picking up the stolen goods during the struggle and leaving.
Chase and arrest
Then at 9:30 p.m., witnesses called 911 after spotting a Buick Acadia driving on its rims along Interstate 182 near Richland’s Queensgate area, said a Benton County Sheriff’s Office Facebook post.
A deputy pulled over the car with four people inside. They told the deputy that their tires were slashed when they were at the mall.
By the time the deputy stopped it, both passenger side tires were missing.
The deputy could see there was merchandise in the car, and suspected it was connected to earlier reports about thefts at the mall.
The deputy kept the SUV and suspects waiting on the side of the interstate for about half an hour while Kennewick police worked to see if anyone in the car matched the description of the robbers, dispatch reports said.
As Kennewick police were coming to arrest three of them, the SUV driver drove off, said the sheriff’s office.
But they only got a couple miles away before deputies forced the SUV to spin out and flip, dispatch reports said. No one was seriously injured, and the three suspects were arrested.