This weekend, the residents of West Linn fell victim to three unrelated burglary incidents which all could have resulted in tragedy.

The first occurred on Friday, December 1st, in the area of Clark Street and Oregon City Boulevard in the Sunset Neighborhood. An attentive neighbor heard the sound of a breaking window, and then observed a man breaking into her neighbor's house. Without hesitation, she immediately called 9-1-1. After searching the area, officers located and were able to positively identify the suspect, leading to his arrest.

The second unrelated incident occurred later that evening in the area of Cottonwood Court and Hidden Springs Road, in the Robinwood Neighborhood. After fighting with his girlfriend, the suspect decided to go on a walk where he broke into approximately five vehicles and one house. The occupant of the house heard someone ring the doorbell, and she cautiously approached the door and asked who was outside. Suddenly, she heard a downstairs window break and she instantly began screaming. Without hesitation, the victim called 9-1-1. Again, after searching the area with the assistance of the Lake Oswego Police Department K-9 Unit, officers were able to locate and arrest the suspect.

The third, and definitely the most disturbing of the burglaries occurred in the area of Cascade Terrace and Lorinda Lane, within a gated community. The victims left an external door unlocked. At approximately 5:30AM, the male suspect entered through the unlocked door and came into their home. As the homeowners were sleeping in the comfort of their own bed, the female victim woke up to the suspect standing at the door of her bedroom. She alerted her husband, and the suspect fled. Approximately 20 minutes later they called the police. After an extensive search of the area, Officers discovered the female victim's purse several houses away. The lapse in time between the occurrence and the 9-1-1 call may have been a contributing factor in the suspect avoiding apprehension.


Points to remember:
-Call 9-1-1 immediately! The police have the skill and resources to catch criminals, but our success is time-sensitive. The faster you call the police, the higher our chances of success.

-Lock your house! Criminals are less likely to come into your house if you restrict access to your property.

-Don't leave valuable items in your car! Vehicles are an easy target for criminals because they are so easy to break in to. Make sure your vehicle is locked.