Theft victim pings stolen AirPods; 2 raids on SE Bend home lead to 3 arrests – twice
(Update: Bend PD confirm 2nd raid was Friday, not Thursday)
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – A Bend theft victim pinged his stolen AirPods and later spotted a classified ad with some familiar items, leading to two raids on a southeast Bend home in three days, the recovery of items recently stolen from a dozen victims around the city and the arrests of three Bend residents -- twice -- on numerous charges, police said Friday.
A 24-year-old Bend man reported to police on March 16 that someone entered his unlocked vehicle and stole over $1,000 worth of items, Sgt. R.C. Bigelow said. Investigating officers learned the man was able to “ping” a set of AirPods taken in the theft and gave police their approximate location.
Six days later, the man noticed an online classified ad selling items, some he recognized as his, and contacted the investigating officer, helping determine the identity of the suspect and his address, on Foxborough Drive in southeast Bend.
On Wednesday, officers were granted a search warrant and at 3 p.m. executed it and searched the suspect's home, finding stolen items and taking the 26-year-old male suspect into custody without incident, Bigelow said.
The search turned up items connecting the 26-year-old and two 24-year-olds to several other crimes and victims throughout Bend, the sergeant said.
The three suspects were cited and released due to Deschutes County Jail restrictions on various charges, including unlawful entry into a motor vehicle and theft or theft by receiving. One was charged with failure to register as a sex offender and another felon in possession of a restricted weapon.
Officers continued to investigate open cases, and that led to a second raid Friday at the same home. This time, the 26-year-old was lodged in the county jail on numerous added charges of theft and ID theft, unlawful entry into a motor vehicle and fraudulent use of credit cards – 19 charges total.
The other two suspects were again cited and released on theft by receiving charges, the woman also charged with third-degree theft and methamphetamine possession.
The investigation continues, Bigelow said, but so far 18 criminal cases have been cleared.
"The Bend Police Department would like to remind our community to always take valuables out of their vehicles, roll up the windows, and lock the doors," Bigelow wrote in a news release. "If you must leave anything of value in your vehicle, hide it so it cannot be seen through the windows."
