PORTLAND – A post-Christmas shoplifting bust led to three arrests and more than a dozen theft cases involving nearly a half-million dollars in stolen goods from around the Portland metro area.
The day after Christmas, Washington County deputies said two men ran out of an emergency exit of the Beaverton Home Depot on NW Science Park Drive with a shopping cart full of merchandise.
It was loaded onto a waiting utility trailer hitched to a truck, which was later found at SW Cedar Hills Boulevard and SW Barnes Road.
There, police arrested 34-year-old William George Hazelwood, 45-year-old Michael Sean O'Sullivan and 35-year-old Charles Daniel Smith.
Police said in addition to the Home Depot items, they found two ski boats, three enclosed utility trailers, a 24-foot RV, computers and equipment from local businesses and restaurants, more tools, appliances and equipment from construction sites.
Deputies said the suspects also mentioned storage lockers full of items.
"We've had situations like this where one small incident leads to a larger ring or larger thefts or whatever it is," said Pam Yazzolino of the Beaverton Police Department. "But to get the items back ... that's what I'm adding up that is a lot."
So far 15 cases of thefts in Clackamas County, Tigard, Tualatin and Sherwood led police to return around $484,441 in goods.
