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Tigard police link at least 39 burglaries across multiple states; four suspects arrested
Summary
Tigard Police Chief reported a multi-jurisdictional burglary investigation that tied at least 39 residential burglaries across Oregon, Washington and California to suspects based in the Portland area. Four people were arrested after coordinated search warrants and officers recovered property now being catalogued for return to victims.
Tigard Police Chief McDonald told the Tigard City Council that investigators have connected at least 39 residential burglaries across Oregon and neighboring states and arrested four people in a coordinated operation. "On February 2, we coordinated with Portland, Eugene, Bend, Oregon City, Clackamas County Sheriff's Office to do 3 search warrants," McDonald said, describing the multiagency effort.
The investigation began last fall when a detective in Tigard’s commercial crimes unit noticed a pattern tying burglaries in Tigard, unincorporated Washington County and Beaverton to similar incidents in Eugene, Bend and, more recently, locations in Washington and California. McDonald said tactical teams served warrants in Oregon City, Portland and Bend; later search warrants were served in Portland as well. No one was injured and four people were arrested on felony burglary charges.
Police recovered a substantial amount of stolen property, McDonald said, and officers are cataloguing items to return them to victims. He urged residents to document valuables: "If you store jewelry at home, please take photos of it. Keep those in a safe place, and then if you were ever to have your home broken into, then it gives us a much better opportunity to reconnect your stolen property back to you," McDonald said.
Chief McDonald said the suspects lived locally and operated from the Portland area while traveling to other jurisdictions. He described the suspects as connected to a larger theft ring and said the investigation is ongoing with federal and out-of-state partners because some thefts were interstate.
Councilors thanked the commercial crimes unit for the work. Councilor Schlack asked about graffiti and prevention steps for downtown businesses; McDonald noted community service officers often assist property owners and recommended surveillance cameras and improved lighting to deter repeat tagging. Councilor Gaudisi asked about cash recovery; McDonald said cash is difficult to reunite with victims without serial-numbered photos and that suspects targeted groups they believed to carry cash and jewelry.
The investigation remains active; police said they are continuing efforts to match recovered items to victims and to work with partner agencies on related cases.
