by ANNA V. SMITH

Journal reporter

An Orcas Island man is charged with burglary in the second degree after allegedly stealing $150-200 dollars and merchandise from the Orcas Island Golf Course.

Valentine Matthew Ecklund, 50, has an arraignment date of July 24. Bail has been set at $20,000. According to court documents Ecklund was recorded by the golf course’s surveillance video and identified by the responding officer.

The morning of July 10 an employee of the golf course opened the store and found the cash register and tip jar empty. He called the owner, who then reviewed the footage from the night before.

According to the officer’s report: “He was found at approximately 0205 hours. A white male appeared outside the front door and took some items from the lost and found.”

Ecklund then opened a door by shaking it and popping it open. Ecklund was filmed taking the money as well as sandwiches and bags of chips.

“I was able to positively identify the suspect as Valentine Ecklund,” the officer wrote. “Ecklund stopped and stared at one of the cameras for some time, moving his head back and forth, making identification very easy.”

Ecklund remained in the store for approximately half an hour.