Man admits stealing gas from Olympia church’s van

A Belfair man admitted to stealing gas from a van registered to a church in Olympia.

William John Kennedy, 25, was arrested on April 6, Wednesday, after an officer observed an unoccupied vehicle parked in a gated driveway leading to the property of the Westwood Baptist Church on Kaiser Road.

The officer said he decided to check on the church’s property because it has figured in numerous property crimes, including burglaries.

As he approached the northwest corner of the property, the officer said, he noticed someone running over to another person who was crouched down by a white van.

“The suspects appeared to say something to each other then they began to run in a northeastern direction,” the officer wrote.

After advising police about the two individuals, the officer approached the van and found two red plastic cans, a backpack, a hose coming out from under the vehicle, a black steak knife and a gas cap, leading him to believe that the suspects were stealing gas.

Another officer later located one of the suspects, identified as William. Asked what he was doing at the property, the suspect told police, “I was there siphoning gas.”

William told officers that he was trying to steal gas from another van because he had run out of fuel and needed to get back to Olympia the next day to see his son. The suspect also said he had no money for gas.

An officer returned to the van where he first saw the suspects and noted that the gas line had been cut open, with a hose inserted into it. William denied cutting the gas line. The suspect said he barely got any gas from the other van when he ran off.

The van with the open gas line was found to be registered to the Westwood Baptist Church.

William initially denied knowing the other individual he was caught with but later identified the man as his uncle and registered owner of their van, David Kennedy.

William insisted that stealing gas was entirely his idea and that he merely convinced his uncle to come along with him.

Police believe, however, that there is probable cause to arrest David for gasoline theft, given his and his van’s presence at the scene with William.

Authorities were not immediately able to locate David. Meanwhile, William was booked into the Olympia City Jail for theft of all other locations and property damage.

The Olympia Police Department earlier said that attempted gas thefts had been increasing along with the increase in gas prices.