SAN JUAN COUNTY SHERIFF OFFICE

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Crime and accident stories from San Juan County Washington

Trial date set

posted 04/27/01
Trial is set for June 19 for Scott Downen who plead innocent to charges of residential burglary and possession of stolen property.

Artwork burglary suspect jailed

posted 04/18/01
A Friday Harbor man is being detained on suspicious of stealing more than $12,000 of artwork, silver and other items from a home last month. The South San Juan Island residence was allegedly burglarized four days after the home's owner died. The man's wife also was hospitalized.

Scott Downen, 49, was arrested and is being held in Island County Jail on $5,000 bond. He is accused of residential burglary and first-degree possession of stolen property. Downen is scheduled for arraignment on April 23 in San Juan County Superior Court.

Downen entered the man's home on the night of March 29-30 and removed items, county Prosecutor Randy Gaylord contends in a probable cause affidavit filed April 16. Relatives of the man told deputies Downen once lived in the burglarized house and was familiar with the art collection. That collection included two bronze statutes valued at more than $10,000, a Japanese carved-stone horse worth an estimated $1,800, a bronze candelabra, modern art paintings and a 1920s 12-piece sterling silver set. A hunting bow also was stolen.

A woman who planned to rent a home with Downen told deputies that she and her fiancé agreed to share a storage unit with him. The unit was rented by one of the roommate's sister. The woman, her fiancé and another friend moved boxes and a hunting bow into the unit for Downen sometime between March 20 and April 1, the woman told deputies. The fiancé also told deputies he and others helped Downen move four or five paintings on April 13 into the Friday Harbor home they planned to rent with Downen and another man.

The woman called deputies later on April 13, alleging Downen was drunk and struck her in the abdomen. Deputies were called to the home but Downen was gone before they arrived. After the deputies left, Downen made harassing phone calls, the roommate alleged. During one call, Downen said she and others were on camera unloading stolen items into the storage, the woman told deputies.

The woman called the sheriff's office. Detectives and deputies obtained a warrant and searched the storage unit the night of April 14. They recovered most of the stolen items, according to the affidavit. They also talked to Downen's roommate, who said Downen and he went to the deceased man's home on the night of March 29-30. He watched Downen remove items from the home and they later placed the items in boxes, the man told deputies.