Bend man arrested in theft of loaded handgun

A 25-year-old Bend man was arrested Friday on charges of stealing a loaded handgun left in an unlocked pickup two days ago while parked at a business in northeast Bend, police said.

Police responded late Wednesday morning to the reported theft of a handgun from the vehicle parked at a business in the 20000 block of Sockeye Place, officers said.

The victim and another witness provided a description of the suspect and the last known direction he was traveling, police said.

Officers tried to find the suspect, assisted by BLM Ranger Ryan Parr and his K-9 Kahr, but learned he left the area in another car. The investigation led to identifying a suspect as Tylor James Sowards.

Shortly after 8 a.m. Friday, officers assisted by Deschutes County sheriff’s deputies arrested Sowards at Riverwoods Country Store in Deschutes River Woods. Police said their continued investigation led to the gun being found and recovered.

Sowards was taken to the county jail, where he was held without bail on a parole violation, along with new charges of first-degree theft, felon in possession of a firearm and unlawful entry into a motor vehicle.

Court records for Sowards show five previous felony arrests over the past five years on charges ranging from ID theft and first-degree forgery to menacing and methamphetamine possession and delivery.