Witness confronts, holds Bend burglary suspect

A Bend resident who saw a young man breaking into a southeast Bend business, then fleeing early Friday confronted and forcibly held the suspect for police. Officers were thankful but strongly urged people not to take such actions, due to the dangers involved.

Shortly before 1 a.m., police were called to Duck Delivery at 1076 SE Paiute Way on a report of a burglary in progress, said Lt. Brian Kindel.

A citizen who police did not identify called to say he was watching a man breaking a window to the business and reaching inside, Kindel said.

The caller said the suspect was quickly walking away, so he decided to intervene and confront the man, later identified as Matthew Ryan Connolly, 20, of Bend.

At first, Kindel said, “Connolly was not compliant with the citizen’s attempts to detain him, and ultimately the citizen had to use force in detaining Connolly.” No injuries were reported, the lieutenant added.

Police soon arrived on scene and took Connolly into custody without further incident.

Kindel said officers determined Connolly had thrown a large outdoor standing cigarette ashtray through a window to enter the business.

A computer PC security system was pulled from a desk and knocked to the ground inside the business, damaging the computer, Kindel said.

Connolly was taken to the Deschutes County Jail and booked on a second-degree burglary charge, with bail at $5,000.

Kindel said in a news release that police were “thankful for the assistance and positive outcome without injury to the citizen and suspect.”

However, he went on “to remind citizens of the dangers associated in confronting suspected criminals.”

“Often times, these subjects are unpredictable, desperate, under the influence of (drugs) and/or carry some form of weapon which may potentially be used on you,” Kindel wrote.

“The best thing you can do in a situation where you find yourself observing criminal activity is to maintain a safe distance and obtain as much detail as possible,” the lieutenant said. “Providing this information to dispatch in a timely manner to relay to responding officers is very important.”