NE Bend burglary suspect caught in the act

A resident returning home to a northeast Bend duplex early Saturday found a burglar in a car parked outside, and police said he’d entered another car – and taken items from the duplex, where family members were sleeping.

The suspect ran away, but a Redmond police K-9 found him in a nearby vacant field, officers said.

Bend police, Deschutes County sheriff’s deputies and a Redmond officer responded around 1:15 a.m. to the reported burglary and theft in progress in the 21000 block of NE Carl Street, said Corporal Mike Landolt.

An investigation found that various personal belongings had been removed from the duplex and that the suspect, identified as Alonso Mendez, 23, had entered two cars.

Redmond K-9 Breck and his handler were deployed to the last known area where the man was seen, Landolt said. He was found by the dog in an undeveloped, rocky area about a half-mile away from the duplex. Items taken from the residence also was found in the area where Mendez was caught, the officer added.

Items from inside the duplex were recovered near one of the cars parked in front of the duplex. That included a set of keys to one of the cars, taken from inside the duplex, which were in the ignition when the resident returned, according to the corporal.

Mendez was taken to the Deschutes County Jail and lodged on charges of first-degree burglary, second-degree theft, first-degree criminal trespass, two counts of unlawful entry into a motor vehicle and attempted unlawful use of a motor vehicle. He remained held later Saturday on $45,000 bail.