Bend man interrupts burglars at Crook Co. summer home

A Bend man checking on his summer home at Prineville Reservoir on Tuesday saw a pickup truck in the driveway and called Crook County sheriff’s deputies, who went inside and arrested two burglars who had piled up their loot in the pickup including two rifles, sheriff’s deputies said.

Deputies responded around 11:30 a.m. to the reported burglary in progress in the 19000 block of Southeast Park Avenue, about 16 miles southeast of Prineville, said Sgt. Dave Dethman.

The 70-year-old Bend man told them he was checking on his summer home in a subdivision at the reservoir and found a black Toyota Tacoma pickup parked in the driveway. He called police because he was concerned someone might be inside. The man said no one was supposed to be in the home, Dethman said.

Deputies went in and found two suspects inside, identified as Mark Huesser, 52, of Mt. Angel, Ore., and Melissa Eisaman, 52, of Portland.

An investigation found the pair had entered the home by removing an air conditioner from a bedroom window, Dethman said.

Deputies recovered two rifles and several antique items the couple had hidden in the back of their pickup. Dethman said the value of the stolen items, returned to the homeowner, was estimated at $5,000.

Huesser and Eisaman were arrested and taken to the Crook County Jail.

Huesser remained held without bail for another jurisdiction Wednesday, also charged with first- and second-degree burglary, first-degree theft and first-degree criminal trespass, jail records showed. Dethman said he also was charged with two counts of felon in possession of a firearm.

Dethman said Eisaman also was charged with second-degree burglary, first- and second-degree theft, third-degree criminal mischief and second-degree criminal trespass. She later was released from jail, due to lack of jail beds, he said.