Suspects may be tied to many cases

POST FALLS - Police on Friday continued to search for a 22-year-old burglary suspect who eluded police on foot while his alleged accomplice was arrested.

Samuel Zachery Fetterhoff, Coeur d'Alene, remains at large with a $100,000 warrant for his arrest. James Edward Porter III, 22, Hayden, who was arrested during a traffic stop in Post Falls on Wednesday afternoon, remains at the Kootenai County jail on a $200,000 bond.

Local law enforcement agencies are coordinating on whether the two are responsible for some of the other recent rash of residential burglaries in Kootenai County.

"We do believe Porter and Fetterhoff are responsible for several more burglaries in Kootenai County, including in Coeur d'Alene," Coeur d'Alene Sgt. Brandon McCormick wrote in an email.

McCormick and Kootenai County Sheriff's Lt. Stu Miller declined to comment further, citing the ongoing investigation.

Porter is being held on two counts of burglary and two counts of grand theft. He was arrested after officers responded to a complaint on Wednesday afternoon that a front door in the 3600 block of Alfalfa Loop had been kicked in and property was missing from the home.

A short time later, officers received another complaint of a home that had been burglarized in the 800 block of nearby Stoneybrook Loop, where additional property was reported stolen after a side garage door was used for access. The burglaries were on the north side of the city east of Idaho Street.

Officers received information from neighbors stating that they had observed a small black car leave the area of the burglaries with two males inside.

Officers located the vehicle in the area of 16th Avenue and Jag Street. When officers conducted a traffic stop, Fetterhoff, the passenger, fled from the vehicle on foot.

"Our officer who made the stop did not pursue (Fetterhoff)," Post Falls Capt. Greg McLean said. "He stayed with Porter, who was in the vehicle. Fetterhoff ran from the car and jumped a fence. We set up a perimeter and brought in the K-9, but were unable to take Fetterhoff."

Porter was taken into custody after property from the burglaries, including a coin collection, was located inside the vehicle he was driving.

Fetterhoff, wanted for three counts of burglary, has been booked into the local jail six previous times as an adult for burglary and probation violation.

Porter has been booked five previous times since 2010 for grand theft, drug possession and burglary.

Anyone with information about Fetterhoff is asked to contact Post Falls Police at 773-3517 or leave an anonymous tip at www.postfallspolice.com.