Video: Legislation calls for more DNA samples from criminals

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SEATTLE - Two measures before state lawmakers would require more criminals to provide DNA samples.

Sponsors of the legislation say collecting samples from people convicted of lowest-level misdemeanor assault charges would help prevent sex crimes.

DNA evidence helped capture the man who twice robbed Reed Sillers' Fremont bike shop.

Police say he stole two expensive bikes last year and left one big clue behind.

"He left to get a coffee and when he came back he set it down on the counter," Sillers said.

State analyst Sarah Atterbury put the cup through a DNA test.

"We were able to put that profile in our coduc database, which searches against other profiles in our state and national database," she said.

A week later, she got a match.

Jacob Bos was convicted of a felony theft in Ohio and forced to submit a DNA sample as a result. That sample matched the sample from the cup, and he was charged with the Fremont bike theft and several others.

The state crime lab says this shows the importance of a 2002 Washington law which requires the submission of DNA samples in felony convictions and three different gross misdemeanors.

WSP says the law has increased cold case hits - and it believes proposed laws which could put more samples in the pool could increase the conviction rate even more.

The Fremont case will never go to trial since the accused 35-year-old thief committed suicide last month. But Sillers is relieved the case was solved.

"I think the police department did a very good job," he said.

Under the proposed legislation, all registered sex offenders would be required to provide DNA.

Samples would also be collected from those convicted of misdemeanor assault if the assault was sexually motivated.