Bend police K-9 finds hiding pair of home intruders

A Bend man and woman caught on a surveillance camera entering a northwest Bend home Monday night refused to come out when police arrived but were found hiding inside by a police K-9 and arrested, officers said.

Officers were dispatched to the 3000 block of Northwest Canyon Springs Place around 9:45 p.m. on a report of a burglary in progress, police said. The caller saw two people trying to get into a model home on a surveillance camera.

Officers arrived and saw at least one person with a flashlight in a neighboring, nearly complete home, in a neighborhood in various stages of construction.

Police surrounded the home and announced their presence, demanding the people come out. Officers soon saw two people running inside the home.

After several announcements at the front door, including that a police K-9 would search the place, the intruders didn’t come out, so Officer Kevin Uballez and his K-9 partner Kim were sent in.

The police dog first located a woman later identified as Nicole Wildner, 34, of Bend, hiding inside and helped capture her, officers said. The dog also was able to find the second person, Nick Lopez, 34, also of Bend, hiding in the home’s crawl space. Officers said he surrendered to officers before the police dog could be used.

Both were taken to the Deschutes County Jail, initially lodged on first-degree burglary charges, Wildner also on three probation violation charges.

The district attorney’s office instead filed one count of second-degree criminal trespass against the pair, pending an expected grand jury indictment.

Both made initial court appearances Tuesday and remained held Wednesday, Wildner without bail on the probation violation counts. Jail records showed Lopez also could face charges of DUII and heroin possession. His initial bail was $10,000.

Lt. Clint Burleigh said police use K-9 resources in such situations to minimize the risk to both human officers and suspects.