Man arrested for allegedly stealing fake money out of a Centralia window display

A homeless man accused of breaking a Centralia business’s window and stealing realistic-looking fake money out of the window display early Wednesday morning has been arrested.

The burglary was reported in the 100 block of North Tower Avenue at approximately 6:43 a.m. on Oct. 30.

Centralia Police Department personnel responded and determined that the suspect had already fled the scene.

Detectives checked nearby businesses for possible security cameras and coordinated with business owners to obtain video footage. Detectives also spoke with two homeless men in the area who witnessed the crime and provided a description of the suspect that matched a person detectives saw in security camera footage.

Officers located the suspect, identified as Thomas M. McPhillips, 55, of Seattle, at approximately 11:10 a.m. on Oct. 30. McPhillips allegedly gave officers his brother’s name to avoid arrest on an outstanding warrant, according to the Centralia Police Department.

McPhillips allegedly “advised the officers that he recently got out of prison, was transient, and has only been in Centralia for a couple days.” He allegedly “admitted to breaking the business’s window and stealing the realistic-looking fake money that was in the window display,” the Centralia Police Department stated in a news release.

He allegedly “blamed his criminal act on the victim for having the item on display,” police stated in a news release.

McPhillips handed over the stolen fake money when asked and was arrested. While searching McPhillips during the arrest, officers reportedly located suspected meth, fentanyl and a possibly stolen clinometer.

McPhillips was booked into the Lewis County Jail at approximately 11:49 a.m. on Oct. 30 for second-degree burglary and second-degree identity theft, in addition to his unrelated Centralia Municipal Court warrant for second-degree vehicle prowl.

Additional charges of knowingly possessing a controlled substance, third-degree malicious mischief and third-degree theft were referred to the Lewis County Prosecutor’s Office.

Charges had not been formally filed as of Thursday morning, but McPhillips had a preliminary hearing in Lewis County Superior Court scheduled for 4 p.m. on Thursday.