Homeowner confronts, holds teen theft suspect

A homeowner confronted and detained one of three teens caught stealing from several cars in the La Pine area late Saturday night. Two others who fled the scene were arrested later by Deschutes County sheriff’s deputies, officials said.

Michael Ray Lester, 18, of La Pine, was held for police by the homeowner on Old Wood Road near South Century Drive, while two Bend boys, 16 and 14, ran but were contacted and arrested later.

Deputies, assisted by Sunriver police and Oregon State Police, were dispatched to the home around 11:15 p.m. Saturday after the unidentified homeowner detained the theft-burglary suspect, said a news release from Sgt. Don Manning and Deputy Dustin Miller.

The owner of the home and vehicles said one of the teens hit him in the side with a “breaker bar-type tool,” before two ran away, deputies said.

Police and a sheriff’s K-9 team conducted an extensive area search for the teens who ran but could not find them. But deputies continued to investigate, identified the two other suspects and arrested them.

Lester remained held on $66,000 bail Monday at the Deschutes County Jail in Bend, facing charges of first-degree robbery, second-degree assault, third-degree theft and five counts of unlawful entry into motor vehicles. The juveniles were lodged at the Juvenile Detention Center on the same charges, deputies said.

Anyone with information that could help in the investigation was asked to contact the sheriff’s office at 541-693-6911.