File motion in Bickle case

A motion to suppress evidence, a large amount of stolen property which was recovered from a mobile home in LaCrosse Aug. 9, was filed Oct. 5 on behalf of Paul Bickle, the suspect in the burglary cases. The motion contends the affidavit for the search warrant of the mobile home, located in the N. 300 Block of Clark Street in LaCrosse, did not provide sufficient information to qualify for the search warrant.

Bickle is a suspect in thefts of property from Arrow Machinery, the Department of Transportation north of Colfax, Rite Aid, Ace Hardware and the WalMart construction site in Pullman.

The warrant affidavit was prepared by Pullman police officers who had joined the sheriff’s department in the investigation. Bickle was placed under surveillance at the WalMart site where he was hired as a night watchman.

Deputies said at the time some of the suspected stolen property had been stored under an awning outside because the amount of property was apparently too much to go inside the trailer. A copy of the warrant filed with the motion listed 23 different items, with many of the items, such as 60 cases of 1 X 1 ceramic tiles alleged taken from the WalMart site, in multiple units. The list also included a variety of construction equipment Bickle is alleged to have taken from sub contractors on the WalMart site.

Bickle is being held in jail after bond was set at $200,000 for pre-trial release. He pleaded not guilty Aug. 13 to 21 charges including malicious mischief, burglary and theft.