PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – The search is on for the suspects responsible for more than 50 vehicle break-ins reported in the West Linn area Thursday night – leaving neighborhoods throughout the city waking up to broken glass and a knock from police.
Neighbors throughout the area reported break-ins overnight and into Friday morning, and surveillance footage shows what appears to be four young men breaking into cars.
Authorities say the suspects broke into the cars before stealing items inside, but all of the neighbors that spoke to KOIN 6 said nothing was taken – raising more questions than answers.
“Just rummaged through,” Brian Fihn said. “There was a $20 bill laying in there. There were some things that would have been pretty obvious to take. But nothing had been taken.”
Fihn and his neighbor Dustin Dickson were both struck by the smashing spree off Ponderosa Street.
“Looked outside, and had my Mazda here and just glass everywhere. It was shattered,” Dustin Dickson said.
West Linn police say they are now investigating more than 50 reports of vehicle break-ins and two home burglaries.
“Every car, or every other car had a shattered window with their glove compartment rifled through,” said West Linn resident Ian Durkee.
Durkee was one of the lucky few spared by the vandals, though he tells us he watched video of the suspects posted on Nextdoor.
“It looked like just a group of probably high schoolers,” Durkee said. “Four kids driving around in like a white suburban with their headlamps on kind of looking at cars and trying to figure out if there’s anything worth taking.”
Police believe the suspects are likely in their late teens to early 20s driving a white Chevrolet suburban.
“I mean, my first thought was like to lose some respect for humanity a little bit. Like really, you gotta go through the neighborhood and do something like this?” Durkee said. “It’s unfortunate that people have come to that circumstance to go as far as needing to smash windows and rummage through cars.”
Through this, neighbors tell us they have really looked out for one another. Despite adding more cameras and staying vigilant, they said they plan to sleep OK at night.
The West Linn police department asks that anyone with tips or video to contact the non-emergency dispatch line at 503-635-0238.
Stay with KOIN 6 as this investigation continues.