Crime spree culprit charged as one-year mark approaches

Published 10:14 am Tuesday, December 17, 2024

A security camera at Jack’s Country Store captured this image of a burglar leaving the store on Feb. 17. The masked man was identified by authorities as Jacob Smart, who was arrested in Kalama on Feb. 26 after a tense standoff. Pacific County authorities recently charged him.

SOUTH BEND — Formal charges have been filed against a man after he allegedly tormented the Long Beach Peninsula with a crime spree that lasted two weeks. The charges against Jacob D. Smart, 39, were filed in the Pacific County Superior Court on Dec. 16.

Smart led an alleged crime spree that spanned Feb. 10 through his capture in Cowlitz County on Feb. 27 following multiple manhunts, police chase, and a standoff. He has landed over 30 charges across the region.

Incident one

The first of seven charged crimes in Pacific County unfolded on Feb. 10 after a homeowner on the 1400 Block of 274th Place reported suspicious activity. The victim, who previously spoke with the Observer under the condition of anonymity, was alerted by their spouse, who was headed to work, that two men were outside their home.

“He was in Long Beach… and he was going to clear the Ring notifications from the night before because our cat likes to set those off a lot,” the victim stated. “He noticed that there [were] two new ones, so he pulled them up, and it showed within 30-45 seconds of him [leaving] that there were two people walking down the street.”

“One came walking up to the car, [who] was wearing a mask and gloves, got into the car. The other individual was just walking on the street, didn’t come on the property but was a lookout basically, and the only thing…he took my garage door opener,” the victim added.

The victim’s spouse returned home and called 911. The sheriff’s office was dispatched to the call and told them to “unplug the garage door motor.” The case remained dormant, and the victims reported slow action from the sheriff’s office, including weeks of silence.

“The accomplice showed up to my house the other day [in March],” the victim stated. “I have a 6-minute video of him talking to my [spouse] on the front porch about him saying he was the one that was walking on the street, and he had no idea what Jacob Smart was gonna do… couldn’t believe he got into my car.”

“However, it’s quite clear in the video that the person walking on the street is also wearing gloves. He knew what was happening, and you cannot tell me he didn’t know,” they added.

Victims of Smart initially voiced displeasure with the investigation, which was marred by not knowing the serial burglar’s identity and his ability to evade law enforcement. Smart was cornered multiple times by deputies but was able to get away, including by running through forestland.

Two days of chaos

The incident on 274th Place was the start of Smart’s suspected escapades that involved additional known incidents on Feb. 16-17. He is accused of prying open a door at the Peninsula Moose Lodge on Feb. 16, an incident in which there was a witness.

In most of the incidents, Smart is believed to have worn a similar outfit — consisting of a Caterpillar sweatshirt, a mask and gloves.

According to court records, which provide detailed information that was not previously disclosed, when Smart entered the lodge, he encountered a woman. The woman fled screaming into an office at the building to call law enforcement.

On Feb. 16, he is also alleged to have broken into a residence on the 18000 block of Sandridge, stealing documents, a safe, jewelry, and firearms; broken into a residence on the 4300 block of 180th Place, stealing a purse and its contents; and stolen a Honda Odyssey from a residence on the 19000 block of Sandridge.

His last suspected crime in Pacific County is breaking into Jack’s Country Store on Feb. 17 and stealing cigarettes, candy and power tools. Surveillance footage captured the incident, which shows Smart wearing similar apparel and a mask used in other crimes.

Had some help

Law enforcement was tipped off to Smart’s being the man behind the crime spree by a confidential informant who reached out to Sheriff Daniel Garcia on Feb. 23 and again on March 4. The same informant also tipped off a deputy to the location of some of the stolen property.

The informant, whose name has been withheld by law enforcement, admitted to transporting Smart to the lodge and Jack’s Country Store. They also admitted to assisting Smart throughout the crime spree.

Jack’s appears to have been a burglary of opportunity. The informant told investigators that the power in the area had gone out, and Smart wanted to seize the chance. He was unaware that the store had a backup generator that caught his activities in clear video footage.

“[The informant] states that after they dropped Smart off, they had no involvement in the burglary [at Jack’s],” Detective Cory Nacnac states in court records. “However, Smart had returned to [their] residence and demanded a ride to the area of Jack’s in order to receive stolen property that he had stashed.”

“[The informant] details where Smart had concealed some of the stolen items that the pair had recovered after the burglary. [The informant] also states that Smart had concealed additional stolen items the pair had been unable to recover,” Nacnac added, while also stating the informant did not have a complete recollection of all the items taken.

According to court records, the informant is noted as having in-depth knowledge of Smart’s crimes, including information that was not made public. The information includes the incident at the lodge where Smart ran into a woman and his having stolen the van and recovered stolen goods — all details that were kept under tight wraps by investigators.

“During the interview with [the informant] on [March 7], they stated Smart had told them that he had stolen the van that had been left at 245th and P Street and had pointed it out to them as they had driven past earlier in the night,’ Nacnac states in court records.

Details of the van theft were provided over the radio to units, and a response from the Washington State Patrol was requested. Units were heard attempting to set up a perimeter around where it was stolen off Sandridge — which ended with a wild goose chase.

It is unclear if the confidential informant is a known individual who admitted to being with Smart during the incident on Feb. 10 on the 1400 Block of 274th Place. However, the informant did shed some light on his initial hesitation to turn on Smart, including a hair-raising incident.

Pull Quote

‘”[The informant] stated they then heard Smart cycle the slide of a pistol behind him. [The informant] stated they were certain that Smart was going to kill them at that point. [The informant] describes a relationship with Smart in which Smart becomes increasingly demanding in his requests for criminal assistance.’

“While discussing their fear of retaliation from Smart, [the informant] described an incident in which Smart and them were in a truck,” Nacnac states in court records. “[The informant] was driving, and Smart was seated behind them. [The informant] stated that Smart had them drive to a remote area and stop the truck.”

“[The informant] stated they then heard Smart cycle the slide of a pistol behind him. [The informant] stated they were certain that Smart was going to kill them at that point. [The informant] describes a relationship with Smart in which Smart becomes increasingly demanding in his requests for criminal assistance, and [the informant] attempts to resist Smart’s demands, eventually asserting to Smart that he needs them,” Nacnac added.

According to Nacnac’s report, the incident in the truck was a message to Smart to cooperate and meet his demands or else. Nacnac added that, given the chance, Smart would retaliate against the informant.

Substantial evidence

Witness and accomplice testimony isn’t the only evidence against Smart. Investigators are having several items tested and compared to a DNA sample of Smart obtained by detectives in Cowlitz County.

Inside a backpack that belongs to Smart, investigators found a substantial amount of women’s underwear soiled with what is believed to be his semen. Within the stolen items recovered in Pacific County, an envelope that belonged to a victim was found with a bloody fingerprint.

According to court records, Nacnac requested that the Washington State Patrol Crime Lab in Seattle test the items and compare them to Smart’s DNA.

In Pacific County, Smart is facing two counts of second-degree burglary, two counts of residential burglary, theft of a firearm, and theft of a motor vehicle. Pacific County Superior Court Judge Donald J. Richter signed a $100,000 warrant for Smart’s arrest on Dec. 16.

According to Cowlitz County Jail records, Smart remains in custody and is currently being held at the Western State Hospital in Lakewood.

Last month, Cowlitz County Superior Court Judge Thad Scudder ordered Smart to undergo a competency evaluation. Following the evaluation, he was deemed incompetent and is undergoing restoration services.

Smart is scheduled to next appear in Cowlitz County on April 7, 2025. He does not currently have a court date scheduled in Pacific County, and his warrant will more than likely be served while he is in custody following competency restoration.

In Cowlitz County, Smart faces two cases.

The first case involves charges of first-degree kidnapping, two counts of first-degree burglary, first-degree robbery, felony harassment, second-degree theft, two counts of theft of a motor vehicle, and second-degree burglary.

The second case involves charges of residential burglary, second-degree theft, third-degree malicious mischief, and third-degree theft.

He also has extradition cases for crimes committed in Oregon and Idaho.

Marketplace