PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – A small northeast Portland business was hit by crooks just weeks apart, costing them thousands of dollars in damages and thefts. But now, another break-in this week was all caught on camera, and they need the public’s help in finding the person responsible.
A hot spot to catch some blues and jazz, the Blue Diamond is nestled along a busy stretch of NE Sandy near 20th — a passion collaboration for Sonny and Jamie Hess.
“We put my talents of music and producing music and her talents of the restaurant and always wanting to create beautiful meals, together,” said Sonny Hess, co-owner of the Blue Diamond. “We’ve been here probably, I’m thinking four years.”
Earlier this month, the bar and grill was broken into after crooks picked a vendor lockbox, taking the keys to go inside. They took around $7,000 that hadn’t been transferred to the safe yet since the owners had just returned from vacation, along with stealing liquor and leaving a trail of damage.
“It’s a local neighborhood, we’ve got a great group of people that show up,” said Hess. “So it’s a violated, really violated feeling.”
Since then, they put up surveillance cameras and changed the locks, not expecting to catch another thief in the act this week. Video appears to show a man busted in through the back and make a beeline for the office. While they don’t have images of the first break-in, they believe this person could be connected to that break-in, since they didn’t recognize the person on camera as a previous patron.
Blue Diamond bar in Portland was hit with break-ins weeks apart – costing the small northeast Portland business thousands in damages. Blue Diamond’s business owner’s told KOIN 6 News the second break-in was caught on camera, and they are looking for the suspected thief. August 31, 2022 (KOIN). 
Blue Diamond bar in Portland was hit with break-ins weeks apart – costing the small northeast Portland business thousands in damages. Blue Diamond’s business owner’s told KOIN 6 News the second break-in was caught on camera, and they are looking for the suspected thief. August 31, 2022 (KOIN). 
Blue Diamond bar in Portland was hit with break-ins weeks apart – costing the small northeast Portland business thousands in damages. Blue Diamond’s business owner’s told KOIN 6 News the second break-in was caught on camera, and they are looking for the suspected thief. August 31, 2022 (KOIN). 
Blue Diamond bar in Portland was hit with break-ins weeks apart – costing the small northeast Portland business thousands in damages. Blue Diamond’s business owner’s told KOIN 6 News the second break-in was caught on camera, and they are looking for the suspected thief. August 31, 2022 (KOIN).
“It seems like when they came in, they knew right where to go,” said Hess. “They came down the aisleway, straight into the hallway and went right into where the safe was.”
From a broken lockbox to replacing doors and their frames, the damages tack on an extra few thousand to the money already lost.
“The emergency locksmith had to come out and re-key everything. They broke the cash register,” said Jamie Hess, co-owner of the Blue Diamond.
A Portland small business that did what they could to survive the economic impact of the pandemic, they say this hit has knocked them down — but they won’t stop getting back up and fighting until they find those responsible.
“We just try to keep going, but this is a hard hit,” said Sonny.
Blue Diamond is asking anyone who may know who the man is to come forward. You can also submit tips anonymously to CrimeStoppers. Jamie and Sonny Hess also advise fellow business owners to invest in cameras — because you never know when they’ll come in handy like in this case.