Centralia Man Accused of Stealing Over $1,000 Worth of Goods in Separate Burglaries

A Centralia man currently serving time in prison made his first appearance in Lewis County Superior Court Friday on charges accusing him of stealing an all-terrain vehicle in 2017 and committing a residential burglary over last summer.

Ty D. Martin, 41, is charged with residential burglary, second-degree theft, possession of methamphetamine and third-degree malicious mischief in one active criminal case, and in a separate one, he’s charged with second-degree burglary.

According to court documents, on June 27, officers responded to a house that was being burglarized somewhere in Lewis County. The victim said she came home to find the door open and damaged, with a dirty footprint on it.

The woman heard someone rummaging through a bedroom, and saw a male, wearing dark clothes, run from the house with miscellaneous items, and take off in a red car.

Officers say they found that same car abandoned, still containing the stolen property. Martin was the registered owner of the car, and officers say it also contained a glass pipe with white residue and a bag with a white crystal substance.

There were also numerous keys to houses, vehicles, padlocks and a post office box.

In the other matter, Martin is accused of burglarizing a residence in Centralia on Sept. 1, 2017, and stealing a Beavertail layout boat, game cameras, tools, ATV parts and other items. Documents tally the total value of the items to $1,750.

There was also an ATV stolen in that same burglary, and Martin was allegedly seen driving the ATV around a neighborhood in Rochester. Documents say he got the vehicle stuck on a logging gate, and ran away when he was approached by a civilian.

The ignition had been manipulated to be started with a screwdriver.

Martin was serving time in the Department of Corrections on a separate criminal matter when he was charged in these two cases.

He had a preliminary appearance in Lewis County Superior Court Friday afternoon. In the 2017 case, he was placed on a $5,000 bond, and on the other he was released on his own recognizance, in tune with a request from the Lewis County Prosecutor’s Office.

Judge Joely O’Rourke explained the amount was so light, because Martin was already serving time. Having a bond of any amount, however, will allow him to remain in the Lewis County Jail as the two cases progress.

He has an arraignment hearing on Thursday.