A rape investigation that started in Bothell ended quietly outside a downtown Kent bank on Tuesday, after officers spotted the suspect’s Volkswagen GTI and moved in before he could drive away.
Kent police said a 24-year-old Buckley man was arrested without incident after they found his VW parked at the bank. Bothell detectives had put out a BOLO asking neighboring agencies to help track down a suspect in an alleged rape and unlawful imprisonment, and Kent officers credited tight coordination and camera data for the fast arrest. The man was later transferred to Bothell Police for questioning.
Tracking the vehicle
According to the Kent Police Department, Bothell police issued a BOLO asking officers in nearby cities to be on the lookout for a vehicle tied to an investigation into rape in the second degree and unlawful imprisonment. Flock Safety license-plate cameras flagged a Volkswagen GTI that had been in the Kent area several times, and Kent Traffic Officer Percy ultimately spotted the car parked outside a downtown bank at about 2:28 p.m. on Tuesday.
How the arrest unfolded
As reported by iLoveKent, Sgt. Goforth and officers Thomas, Lentz, Jeffries and Steiner backed Percy up and staged nearby as they watched the suspect. When the man walked out of the bank, officers approached him tactically in the parking lot. Police said he followed their commands, was taken into custody without incident, and was then turned over to Bothell investigators.
Charges and what the law says
Bothell police were seeking the man on suspicion of rape in the second degree and unlawful imprisonment, according to the BOLO described by Kent police. Under Washington law, rape in the second degree is a class A felony and unlawful imprisonment is a class C felony. The statutory definitions are outlined in RCW 9A.44.050 and RCW 9A.40.040.
Police credit cross‑jurisdiction work
Kent police praised the joint effort between departments and the role of technology in tracking the suspect vehicle, saying the case shows how coordinated patrols and camera networks can quickly zero in on a car of interest, according to iLoveKent. Bothell detectives are continuing the investigation, and anyone with information about the case is asked to contact Bothell Police.
