BEAVERTON, Ore. (KOIN) — At least $50,000 in stolen goods were found when police searched 4 locations in Washington County and recovered more than 3 van loads full of items.
Timothy Vandehey was taken into custody January 14, Beaverton police said. The 40-year-old is believed to be responsible for at least 20 burglaries in the area that targeted mostly storage units, apartment garages and new construction sites.
The burglaries took place over the past 6 months or so, Beaverton PD Officer Jeremy Shaw told KOIN 6 News
“We’re talking about over 20 cases that we know of right now,” Shaw said, “but we believe there’s more out there and that’s why we’re trying to get the info out to as many people as we can.”
Evergreen and John Oleson area apartments, South Parc Apts and surrounding apartments, Cherry St. in Hillsboro apartments, Extra Space Storage, Jackson School Village and surrounding area, Basline Storage, 53rd and Baseline apartments, 158th and Baseline apartments, Unknown apartments in Woodburn, Barnes and Saltzman apartments, Farmington / 185th apartments, Apartments off of West Union – Unknown which ones
Vandehey was arrested in October for burglary, Shaw said. “Our detectives did what they do best and sort of started putting cases together and were able to track him and figure out that he was moving from place to place.”
The October case against Vandehey is still pending.
Officials estimate they recovered between $50,000 to $100,000 worth of stolen goods — art work, generators, appliances, power tools, camping gear, guns.
Photos: $50K in stolen items in Washington County
Though Vandehey was arrested at his home in the 11500 block of NW Thompson Road, the stolen items were recovered in multiple locations.
“He had a couple different storage units in Washington County that he was storing all his stuff,” Shaw said. “He had some stuff at his home, also.”
A woman who lives in the neighborhood who asked not to be identified told KOIN 6 News the recovered items were piled in boxes “as tall as me.”
“I saw beautiful artwork that the police brought out, like signed, like it looked like very expensive artwork,” she said.
She also said she noticed a lot of vans, cars and trucks loading and unloading a lot of items over the past 6 months.
“I’d get up and look out the window,” she said. “There would be people unloading vans and trucks and cars and people out here argueing. This just went on all night long. It was like a 24-hour thing.”
Homebuilder excited ‘about half of stolen items’ recovered
A lot of the construction equipment was stolen from the homebuilder West Hills Homes Northwest. The company’s Stephanie Hosmar told KOIN 6 News the thefts happened at a new construction site, Thompson Woods, just down the road from where Vandehey lives.
Beyond the “frustrating and disheartening” nature of losing the equipment, it also makes it “challenging to stick to construction schedules.”
Lights, dishwashers, cook tops, tile, hardware and other items were stolen, she said.
Officials said more than $15,000 in new construction materials was already returned to the construction company.
“We’re very excited and happy that we’re able to recover about half of the stolen items,” Hosmar said. “We’re really glad and grateful to police so that number doesn’t climb.”
Beaverton Officer Shaw said there is a message criminals should know.
“There’s no call too small in Beaverton. And, you know, it doesn’t matter what you do. If you’re committing crimes in Beaverton we’re going to be working those cases and trying to figure out who it is. And in this case, eventually find you and put you in jail.”
Vandehey remains behind bars facing charges of theft, aggravated theft, burglary and being a felon with a gun.
The investigation is ongoing. Anyone who thinks they may have been a victim of one of these thefts is asked to call 503.629.011.