SEATAC, Wash. — After months on the run, Branson Albert, 37, of Auburn, is back in custody and facing a growing list of charges tied to a car theft spree at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA).
Albert was arrested last week by Port of Seattle Police on seven outstanding warrants tied to vehicle theft, identity fraud, drug possession, and weapons charges. He appeared in King County Superior Court on Wednesday and pleaded not guilty to several new felony cases.
Court documents allege that Albert has been stealing vehicles from the SEA airport garage since 2023, often targeting travelers’ cars while they were away. Despite a history of failing to appear in court, he had previously been released on low or no bail—a trend that changed this week.
Judge David Keenan granted a prosecutor’s request to set Albert’s bail at over $200,000, citing his repeat offenses while out of custody.
“When he’s not in secure detention, there seems to be repeat offenses,” said Casey McNerthney, spokesperson for the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. “It’s frustrating for victims who return from a vacation to find their car stolen or broken into.”
Albert now faces eight pending felony cases in King County, with dozens of individual charges—most related to thefts and burglaries at the airport.
The latest charges involve the theft of a BMW in October, a Cadillac and Rivian SUV in November, and a report of a woman’s Infinity SUV being burglarized in December—all from the SEA airport garage.
The case remains under investigation, and prosecutors say additional charges could be added.
