Moses Lake Man Accused of Stealing a Shotgun in Moses Lake Homeless Camp

Moses Lake Police have arrested a man for allegedly stealing someone’s shotgun at a homeless camp Tuesday morning.

The victim went to a homeless camp in Moses Lake carrying a shotgun, and states that 45-year-old Eric Applegate held the victim at gunpoint with a pistol.

After escaping the robbery uninjured, the victim went to the Moses Lake Police Department.

The Moses Lake Police Officers later obtained a search warrant to enter the homeless encampment and arrested Applegate.

Police located both the stolen shotgun and the pistol from Applegate’s camp, and also discovered that Applegate scratched the serial number off the shotgun.

Applegate is unable to legally own a firearm.

Applegate was charged with first-degree robbery, first-degree assault, theft of a firearm, three counts of unlawful possession of a firearm, two counts of possession of a stolen firearm, and alteration of identifying marks on a weapon and possession of an unlawful firearm.