Coulee Dam police arrested two men in their 20s for burglary and vehicle prowling after nearby resident reported seeing one of them taking items from the town shop last week.

One of the men, Paul Willford, 25, was noticed wandering inside the town shop area by a nearby resident Monday evening, July 24, about 6 p.m. She called her husband to check it out. Charles Landeros went to the shop and found Willford with a number of items in his hand, police report. When confronted, Willford dropped the items and ran right out of his sandals to a car that was waiting for him.

Driving the car was Jacob M. Jackson, 29, who fled the scene along with Willford. The two were later picked up near Harvest Foods, arrested and taken to jail.

Both had warrants for their arrest. Willford was wanted on a third-degree theft warrant; Jackson on a misdemeanor arrest warrant.

Police said they were able to identify the two from a security camera mounted at the town shop. Then Landeros identified them as the two seen by him at the town shop as they fled.

Coulee Dam police are asking the county prosecutor to file charges of second-degree burglary and second-degree vehicle prowling.

When confronted at the shop, Willford had a yellow extension cable and a large red grounding cable in his possession, a police report indicates. He dropped the items, along with a computer cord, and walked out of his sandals when he ran to the waiting car, police say.

The town shop had been vandalized before, and security cameras were added, proving to be a valuable tool in these arrests.