Transient, confronted by dog, flees NW Bend home, arrested on burglary, mail theft charges

(Update: Adding security video)

Resident's description of man, car leads to later arrest in NE Bend

BEND, Ore.  (KTVZ) – A transient who entered a northwest Bend home Monday evening fled when confronted by the family dog and was arrested a few hours later, police said. About a dozen stolen pieces of mail from across the city and other possibly stolen items allegedly were found in his car.

Police were dispatched around 5 p.m. to the 3300 block of Northwest Fairway Heights Drive for a report of a man who had entered an occupied residence, but left after being confronted by the dog, Lt. Juli McConkey said.

One of the two residents, a 50-year-old man and woman, confronted the man as he was leaving, getting a detailed description of him and his car, a green 1993 Subaru Legacy with several license plates affixed to it, McConkey said.

Officers also learned another neighbor saw the same man earlier take a package and put it in his car, she added.

Officers searched and didn’t find the man or car in the area, but it was spotted around 9:15 on Northeast Second Street at Irving Avenue. McConkey said the 26-year-old transient was contacted and taken into custody without further incident.

The man was lodged in the Deschutes County Jail on charges of first-degree attempted burglary, first- and second-degree theft and multiple counts of mail theft, McConkey said.

A search warrant was served on the car and about a dozen pieces of mail were found that belonged to residents throughout Bend. Other possibly stolen items also were found in the car.

McConkey said investigators will contact potential victims and that it’s not yet known if the mail was taken from unlocked mailboxes.

The man was arraigned Tuesday on four initial formal charges -- first- and third-degree burglary and two counts of mail theft. The charging document indicates a suitcase was stolen from the home he entered on Fairway Heights. Court records show he has no prior criminal record in Oregon.

McConkey told NewsChannel 21, "If other people have seen the vehicle in their neighborhood and feel they may be a victim of a package or mail theft, they can contact the non-emergency line (541-693-6911) and speak to an officer."