Arrest made in NW Bend office burglaries, vandalism

A 20-year-old Bend man was quickly arrested, thanks in part to neighbor intervention, in a violent early Friday break-in that damaged two law offices and a spa at a northwest Bend office building, police said.

Officers responded around 3:20 a.m. to the reported criminal mischief at 225 Northwest Franklin Avenue, said police Lt. Jason Maniscalco. The building houses attorneys Craig Edwards and Dave Paulson, as well as Anjou Spa.

A witness reported seeing a man leaving the building, and arriving officers found several exterior windows had been broken, Maniscalco said. The substantial damage inside included tipped-over cabinets, holes in walls, broken computers and damaged furniture and art, the lieutenant said.

Officers found a suspect, Christian Michael Keller, near the building, in possession of items connecting him to the break-ins and damage, Maniscalco said.

Keller was lodged in the Deschutes County Jail on three counts each of second-degree burglary and first-degree criminal mischief, He was released about an hour later on his own recognizance, a jail officer said.

Edwards told NewsChannel 21 his ransacked office looked like a bomb had hit it.

“I was shocked to the extent of the damage done to the windows and outside — just surprised, ” he said, though expressing relief that “all of the files are safe and nothing is taken.”

Neighbor Lorin Hayden saidshe heard glass breaking across the street and knew he had to help.

“I came out to the back of my property and saw this guy thrashing this place, and I yelled out to him, ‘What are you doing?'” Hayden said. “And he came over to me and we talked, which was such a bizarre situation.”

“And I ended up saying, ‘That’s crazy, dude,’ and we talked a little longer, and I was like, ‘Hey dude, I’m going to to back to my house.’ And he said, ‘Well, I have to get back to work’ — and he went inside and continued trashing the place.”

Still, Edwards said it’s neighbors like Hayden who can help prevent such crimes — or in this case, keeping the damage from being even worse. He also said he believe the break-in was a completely random act.