Portland police say a run of break-ins at a Southeast Portland school ended Saturday with officers finding a suspect inside the building and taking him into custody, after weeks of smashed windows and at least one ransacked room at the same Montavilla campus.
How Police Say the Break-ins Unfolded
According to Portland Police, the incidents started on Monday, January 19, at a school in the 2200 block of Southeast 92nd Avenue in the Montavilla neighborhood, when someone reportedly used a large piece of concrete to break a window and get inside. On Tuesday, February 3, officers say a room was ransacked, and on Wednesday, February 4, cleaning supplies were reported stolen. Officers later located and arrested a suspect inside the building on Saturday, according to a press release via Portland Police.
What Police Are Saying
"Arrests like this matter because they prevent further victimization and send a clear message that repeated criminal behavior will not be tolerated," Portland Police Chief Bob Day said in the release. The department identified the suspect as 30-year-old Joshua R. Sandall, who was booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center and arraigned on multiple burglary, criminal mischief and theft counts, according to the same statement.
Case Heads to Burglary Task Force
Portland Police said the case will be forwarded to the Multnomah County District Attorney's Burglary Task Force for follow-up. The DA's new burglary unit has already begun pursuing cases across the metro area, including a recent guilty plea in a Southeast Portland smash-and-grab, as reported by KPTV.
Charges, Case Number, and How to Help
Portland Police say Sandall faces three counts of second-degree burglary, three counts of first-degree criminal mischief, one count of second-degree criminal mischief, and two counts of third-degree theft. Anyone with information is asked to email [email protected] and reference case number 26-37513; see X for more information.
Press Release: Suspect Arrested in Series of Burglaries at Southeast Portland School
— Portland Police (@PortlandPolice) February 10, 2026
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