Sisters construction crew stops trailer thief in act
A Sisters construction crew returning from overnight snow removal work early Saturday interrupted a flatbed trailer theft in progress and blocked in a fleeing suspect with a road grader, leading to the Portland man’s arrest, Deschutes County sheriff’s deputies said.
They said they are still searching for two other vehicles stolen in the area overnight that are believed to be connected to the crime.
Shortly before 6 a.m., deputies were sent to the reported vehicle theft in progress at Robinson & Owen Heavy Construction’s yard at North Pine Street and West Barclay Drive in Sisters, Sgt. Kent Vander Kamp said.
The employee who called 911 said he interrupted the theft of a company construction trailer as the crew returned.
Deputies and a Black Butte Ranch police officer arrived and found Robert Stanley Hornby II, 48, of Portland, being detained by the construction crew. Vander Kamp said Hornby was trying to drive away with a flatbed car-hauler trailer when stopped by the crew, who blocked him in with a construction grader.
Vander Kamp said the truck being driven by Hornby at the time of his arrest was reported stolen by Fox Roofing in Vancouver, Washington.
Investigators also determined that Robinson & Owen also had a pickup truck stolen from the yard overnight. The sergeant said deputies are still looking for the truck, described as a blue, 2016 Ford F-350 with a brushed aluminum rack and Oregon license plate 306 JLC.
A rifle stolen from the missing Ford pickup was in Hornby’s possession at the time of his arrest, Vander Kamp said. So was a collection of “automotive jiggler” or “try-out” keys, tools often used by professional locksmiths. The “jiggler” key slips into the keyway of many locks and most car locks and is moved around until the lock opens.
Another vehicle – an SUV – also was stolen overnight in Sisters, Vander Kamp said. The red, 2002 Chevrolet Blazer with Oregon license 200 GPY was stolen from the 400 block of West Washington Avenue and has not been found, the sergeant said.
“Based on the initial investigation, deputies believe all of the thefts are related,” Vander Kamp said in a news release, adding that “deputies are following up on additional leads” in the cases.
Citizens were asked to call Deschutes County 911 if either of the stolen vehicles is spotted. “Do not attempt to contact or detain the occupants,” the sergeant said.
Hornby was taken to the Deschutes County Jail in Bend and booked on charges of first-degree theft, two counts of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, being a felon in possession of a firearm, possession of burglary tools and possession of heroin and oxycodone. His bail totaled $55,000.
