Mickal Ivan Reutov, a 34-year-old handyman, has been sentenced to 30 months in prison for stealing a Rolex watch valued at $44,000 from a Lake Oswego residence. The incident, which occurred in May 2024, wasn't immediately brought to the attention of the police by the homeowner, who instead engaged in negotiations with Reutov, hoping to recover the valuable item without involving the authorities, as reported by Clackamas County official news.
These negotiations, however, proved unfruitful, leading the homeowner to eventually report the theft to the Lake Oswego Police Department after it became clear that Reutov could not, or would not, return the stolen watch. Reutov, who did not confess to the theft, claimed he would attempt to 'buy back' the watch if the homeowner refrained from contacting law enforcement. Reutov became elusive after the failed discussions and was subsequently arrested in August 2024 for a separate burglary in Marion County, for which he pleaded guilty and was already serving a 26-month sentence.
The sentence for the Lake Oswego watch theft will run concurrently with Reutov's current time, effectively extending his imprisonment by approximately 18 months. The sentencing took place at the Clackamas County Circuit Court, where Reutov appeared via video link from the Oregon State Penitentiary.
Although the victim chose not to attend the sentencing, Deputy District Attorney Josh Cutino read a statement on their behalf. According to a report by Clackamas County’s official news, the victim wrote: "When you stole from me, you didn’t just take an object. You took away my sense of safety in my own home — the place I was creating as a haven for myself and my children. Since that day, I’ve lived with anxiety and unease. It has taken over a year of hard work to begin healing. What you took was not just an object; it was something given to me, something irreplaceable."
Reutov's criminal history includes prior convictions for identity theft, assault, and DUII. Deputy District Attorney Tiffany Escover led the prosecution on this case, resulting in Reutov's most recent sentencing and bringing some closure to the events that have impacted the Lake Oswego community.
