Deputies: Tumalo burglar sought prescription drugs

A Tumalo man has been arrested on burglary and other charges, accused of breaking into a Tumalo home, where he was confronted by a resident, and another similar incident late last week at an unoccupied home south of Bend, Deschutes County sheriff’s deputies said Tuesday. He allegedly went into the homes to take prescription medications, they said.

Deputies located Riley Roy Billings, 31, around 5:45 p.m. on Monday as they followed several leads developed after a burglary earlier in the day in the 19000 block of Ridgewood Drive in Tumalo, said Lt. Kevin Dizney.

A Tumalo resident who did not answer a knock at the door Monday morning later encountered a burglar inside the home, who fled empty-handed deputies said.

Around 10:35 a.m., deputies received a report of a burglary about 15 to 20 minutes earlier at the Ridgewood Drive home, Dizney said.

The reporting party indicated a man had parked in the driveway and knocked on the door, Dizney said. The resident did not answer the door, but later found a man inside the home, who ran out without taking anything and left in the pickup, he said.

The bearded suspect fled in a vehicle described as a full-sized, dark-colored diesel pickup.

During the investigation, deputies also determined Billings was responsible for a second burglary that occurred last Thursday at an unoccupied home in the 60000 block of Ridgeview Place, south of Bend, Dizney said.

The two crimes were similar in nature, the lieutenant said, and evidence at the scenes “provided substantial evidence” linking Billings to both incidents.

In both cases, Billings allegedly entered the homes to find and take prescription drugs, Dizney said. He added that investigators are trying to determine if other items and/or other homes were targeted.

Billings is not believed to have been armed in either burglary, Dizney said, and did not use or threaten force against anyone.

The sheriff’s office said it would like to hear from anyone who’s been the victim of a theft or burglary in which prescription medication was taken and who has not reported it already.

Contact the sheriff’s office through the non-emergency dispatch number at (541) 693-6911. Dizney said they also want to hear from anyone with more information related to the burglaries.