Officers from the Southwest Precinct Anti-Crime Team ended up arresting two people Friday afternoon while recovering a stolen van in South Park.

On Friday, May 31st, just after 4:00 pm, Officer Jeffery Thompson located a reported stolen van parked in front of a residence near 10th Avenue South and South Donovan Street in South Park. The van had been taken from a residence in West Seattle earlier in the month. When police found the van it was unoccupied, so the officer began the inspecting the vehicle and calling for a tow truck. As that was happening, a man approached and asked if he could retrieve his belongings from inside the van. That man provided his identification to the officer and it was discovered he had an outstanding warrant for theft. He was arrested without incident.

As that man was being arrested, a second man walked up to the van and claimed ownership. He placed a key in the door, unlocking the stolen van in front of the officer. The 43-year-old man, who was not the owner of the vehicle, was arrested for investigation of auto theft and booked into the King County Jail. The man later admitted to officers that he knew the van was stolen and that he had just been released from jail for auto theft. The van was impounded to the processing room. Detectives will handle the follow up investigation.