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Published on January 24, 2025
Portland Burglary Ring: Two Indicted for Over 100 Business Break-InsSource: Google Street View

The Multnomah County District Attorney's office has unveiled the indictment of two individuals tied to a spate of burglaries targeting over a hundred businesses in the Portland area, a crime spree believed to have been executed by an organized group of at least ten perpetrators. The accused, Courtney Savannah Carlile and Joshua Patrick Lucero, stand charged with a series of felonies and misdemeanors connected to these incidents, as reported by the Multnomah County District Attorney.

Investigations spearheaded by the Portland Police Bureau have linked Carlile and Lucero to the criminal operation, with Officer Elliott Walker playing a pivotal role in tracing the cases back to them, which began in July of last year. The grand jury has hit the pair with a litany of charges; 35 for Carlile, including Burglary in the First Degree, and a staggering 50 for Lucero, encompassing Aggravated Theft in the First Degree as indicated by the district attorney's news release.

Specific events detailed in the probable cause affidavits unpick the duo's method – a mix of blunt force and powered tools like bolt cutters and saws, which they wielded to break into establishments and crack open their safes. According to court documents obtained by the district attorney's office, businesses such as Baby Dolla Pizza and Grassa fell victim to their modus operandi, with surveillance footage capturing the crimes in action.

The string of burglaries ceased when Carlile and Lucero found themselves apprehended on December 28th last year, and they are currently being held in custody as investigations persist. Notably, this is not the end of their legal woes – they also face charges in neighboring Washington and Clackamas counties, further entangling them within the justice system, as the district attorney's release reveals. It should be remembered, however, that an indictment remains merely an allegation, and the defendants are to be considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.