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Man who broke into cars at Washington national parks gets prison time

The 41-year-old broke into at least four dozen cars at Mount Rainier and Olympic national parks, according to national park officials.
Credit: AP Photo/Elaine Thompson
In this photo taken Tuesday, July 9, 2019, the Olympic Mountains are seen beyond a forest from Hurricane Ridge in the Olympic National Park, near Port Angeles, Washington.

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 said 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 said 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.

Also see | How North Cascades National Park changed a Seattle lawyer's life

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