Madras man arrested in Bend baseball-bat bank burglary

Bend police said Wednesday they have arrested a 22-year-old Madras man in connection with the after-hours March burglary of a northeast Bend bank where they said he smashed the glass door with a baseball bat, went inside, yelled and looked for the cleaning crew as a Prineville woman hid in fear.

Police had released security-camera images in hopes of finding the bandana-masked, bushy-haired burglar who forced his way into the Columbia Bank at 1701 Northeast Third Street around 7:30 p.m. on March 16th.

Bend police detectives arrested Ethan Daniel Gregg, 22, during a raid of a Madras trailer and property early Tuesday afternoon, said police Lt. Clint Burleigh.

Police found several items of evidence associated with the break-in, Burleigh said. He added that Gregg refused to comply with police during the arrest, trying to fight with officers and run. But he was taken into custody without any injuries.

Gregg was taken to the Deschutes County Jail in Bend and held on $10,000 bail, facing charges including second-degree burglary, unlawful use of a weapon, first-degree criminal mischief, menacing, first-degree criminal trespass and resisting arrest.

Police had said the burglar shattered the glass front door of the closed bank and went inside. A 43-year-old Prineville woman cleaning the bank remained hidden, fearful of the intruder, until he left before police arrived.

Officers also had released a half-dozen photos of the bushy-haired bank burglar and a pickup seen outside.

Burleigh thanked community members for tips that helped lead to the arrest, along with the “diligent work of the Bend Police Patrol and Detective Divisions.”