Tigard police report storage‑unit burglaries, pedestrian crashes at Garden/99; city considers photo enforcement and fireworks enforcement plans

TIGARD, Ore. — Tigard Police Chief McDonald reported a recent spike in storage‑unit burglaries and briefed the City Council on two pedestrian‑involved fatal crashes near Garden Avenue and Highway 99, describing sun glare as a contributing factor in both incidents. The chief also said the city plans stepped‑up enforcement of illegal fireworks over the Fourth of July and is evaluating expanded photo enforcement for problem intersections.

Storage‑unit burglaries: Chief’s account

Chief McDonald told council that the city recorded a 175% increase in burglaries classified in the “other” category for May and identified “a great number of storage units” that were broken into. He said investigators are working with Hillsboro and Salem police and that property recovered by officers has not yet been fully identified to owners. The police department’s commercial crimes unit and the Salem Police Department were continuing follow‑up work. The chief asked storage‑unit customers in Tigard and Washington County to check their units and report unrecorded losses so officers could match recovered property to owners.

Pedestrian crashes at Gardie and Highway 99

Chief McDonald briefed the council on two pedestrian‑involved fatal crashes in the Garden/99 area, one in July 2022 and another in April of the current year. He said investigations found sun glare was a factor in both cases; in one crash a driver reported sun glare and a witness reported the pedestrian “stumbled into the roadway.” In the other crash the driver said they had a green light and witnesses did not see the collision happen; the driver also reported sun glare. The chief said it was unclear whether roadway design contributed and described limitations to traffic enforcement at the rebuilt intersection (fewer safe places…