Sehome Village Haggen Food security officers assaulted during shoplifting incident
Bellingham WA July 30 2018 Bellingham Police arrested a transient 37-year-old Bellingham man Wednesday after he reportedly assaulted two store security employees at the Sehome Village Haggen Food in what Lt. Danette Beckley said is a “culmination of a number of cases.”
Travis Wayne Strait was booked into Whatcom County Jail on suspicion of third-degree theft, possession of a controlled substance, residential burglary, fourth-degree assault, second-degree criminal trespassing, second-degree robbery, tampering with physical evidence, first-degree trafficking and second-degree theft.
Beckley said Strait already was “a suspect in a daytime burglary, some mail thefts and trafficking stolen property based on investigations.” Once probable cause was developed on those cases, Beckley said, Strait was supposed to turn himself in, but he did not.
Wednesday afternoon, he reportedly stole some food from the Haggen Food store. Beckley said he was contacted by store security, but engaged in a fight to avoid being detained. One security employee suffered cuts to their hands and elbows, while the other was allegedly elbowed in the face by Strait and suffered redness and swelling.
Strait managed to get away, Beckley said, but was later located and arrested by the Neighborhood Anti-Crime Team, which found he had what they suspect to be heroin in his possession
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