A Redmond vehicle theft that started with a nighttime break-in ended in a move detectives probably did not see coming: police say the suspect drove the stolen car straight back to the station and asked to talk.
The case began on April 18, when a homeowner reported a stolen vehicle, and quickly grew into a multi-county burglary investigation as officers leaned on tracking tech and surveillance video. Three days later, on April 21, investigators say the man behind it all showed up at Redmond Police Department headquarters behind the wheel of the very car that had kicked off the case.
How Officers Followed the Stolen Car's Digital Trail
According to City of Redmond, officers were called on April 18 to a home in the 7800 block of 170th Place NE after the resident reported that someone had climbed in through a window while the household slept and taken a vehicle key fob and a bank card.
The victim then used a vehicle-tracking app to locate the car at a gas station in another county, and Redmond officers coordinated with the local agency that recovered the vehicle to connect it to additional crimes. Investigators later used surveillance footage from the probe to place a suspect at several different scenes.
What Police Say the Suspect Admitted
On April 21, at about 10:30 p.m., 23-year-old Amir S. Yasir arrived at the Redmond Police Department, driving the stolen vehicle and asking to speak with officers, according to City of Redmond. Detectives say Yasir admitted entering the Redmond home, taking the keys and bank card, then driving the vehicle to Tumwater, where he abandoned it after it ran out of power.
Police report that Yasir also told detectives he had burglarized another home in Tumwater and stolen a second vehicle, which he later drove through Oregon. “This case highlights the value of quick reporting, technology-assisted investigations, and strong collaboration between law enforcement agencies,” Redmond Police Chief Darrell Lowe said in the release.
What Redmond Residents Should Know
The Redmond Police Department also posted about the case on X, noting that its account is not monitored 24/7 and reminding people to call 911 for incidents in progress. The post is available on X.
From the first call to the suspect's station-house arrival, the department's timeline underscores how vehicle-tracking apps and quick tips from residents can push an investigation across county lines. Police are urging residents to secure windows and key fobs, review home security footage if something seems off, and report suspicious activity right away.
