Witness chases, K-9 catches Bend serial theft suspect

A witness to a bike theft in NE Bend Wednesday afternoon chased the suspect while police were called, leading to a 26-year-old Bend man’s capture by police K-9 “Haras” and arrest on charges in a half-dozen other recent bike and car thefts, criminal mischief and shoplifting cases, officers said.

Police were dispatched around 4:30 p.m. to the Bend Instrument Repair at 168 NE Greenwood Ave. on the report of a bike theft that had just occurred, said Lt. Nick Parker.

A witness had chased after the suspect while the report to police was made. The suspect, later identified as Sean Kyle Applegate, ended up leaving the bike behind and running to avoid capture, Parker said.

Officers soon arrived and set up a perimeter. K-9 Haras was able to track Applegate to the area of NE Sixth Street and Burnside Avenue, where he was taken into custody without incident, the lieutenant said.

Applegate was charged with several other crimes over the past month, including a June 14 th criminal mischief case in which a bed was damaged at 154 NE Franklin Avenue.

Five days later, an Xbox was taken and a door damaged at the Bend Fred Meyer, Parker said. On Monday, a 1997 Toyota 4-Runner was stolen on NE Lotus Drive and later recovered.

Three bikes were taken over a two-day period, Monday and Tuesday, on NE Sams Loop, SE Ninth Street and NE Greenwood Avenue.

Applegate was arrested on three counts of second-degree theft, two counts of second-degree criminal mischief, and one count each of unauthorized use of a vehicle and third-degree theft.

He was lodged at the Deschutes County Jail on $36,000 bail, but released Thursday on his own recognizance, a jail officer said