Oak Harbor Man Arrested After Stolen Car Found at AM/PM Station

Five Oak Harbor police officers surrounded a 1995 Chevrolet Corsica at an AM/PM gas station on the night of March 30, with at least one drawing a patrol rifle and chambering a round after dispatch confirmed the 31-year-old vehicle had been reported stolen. The driver, 46-year-old William Skinner, was taken into custody without incident.

Officers used tactical positioning throughout the stop, which the department classified as high-risk. A passenger inside the Corsica was detained briefly and then released, along with Skinner's dog. No injuries were reported, no weapons were recovered from the vehicle, and police did not pursue additional suspects following Skinner's arrest.

Skinner told officers he had no idea the car was stolen. He said his late girlfriend had been the one who drove it. At a hearing the following day, March 31, a judge found probable cause to believe Skinner had committed possession of a stolen vehicle and released him on his own recognizance.

Residents near the AM/PM that night who noticed the cluster of patrol units and an officer in a covered position were witnessing one of the more demanding scenarios in routine patrol work: a vehicle confirmed stolen, occupants unknown, risk level unassessed. Five-officer coordination at a neighborhood gas station is not standard procedure for a parking check; it reflects how quickly a property crime call can require a deliberate, controlled response.

Washington state recorded a 32% drop in vehicle thefts from 2023 to 2024, the steepest decline of any state in the nation according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, a figure driven in part by tighter pursuit laws and focused task-force enforcement. Even so, older vehicles without modern engine immobilizers remain easy marks. A Corsica built in 1995 has none of the electronic anti-theft systems found in cars manufactured after the late 1990s, making it comparatively straightforward to move.

Nationally, Hyundais and Kias remain the most frequently stolen models due to a well-publicized USB-cable exploit, but any car left unlocked or with a spare key inside is a target. Drivers with keyless entry fobs can store them in a signal-blocking Faraday bag to prevent thieves from amplifying the key's signal and gaining access without the owner nearby. Parking under working lights and in the sight line of a security camera reduces exposure further. Anyone who spots a vehicle left running unattended for an extended stretch, or notices someone trying door handles in a lot, can reach Oak Harbor police at 360-279-4600. The department is at 860 SE Barrington Drive.