Sentence Handed Down For National Park Thief

OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK, Wash. (AP) – A man who broke into dozens of vehicles at Mount Rainier and Olympic national parks has been sentenced to two years in federal prison after he serves a more than two-year state prison term.

National park officials say 41-year-old Michael Pickering broke into at least four dozen cars at more than a half dozen different trailheads and parking lots in the two parks.

Court documents say for a month starting in late March 2019, Pickering smashed windows and stole from parked vehicles.

Documents say he used stolen credit and debit cards to make over $50,000 in purchases at various stores.

Pickering was arrested after walking out of a store where he used victims’ bank cards.