This is a simple case of Theft of over $18,000 in hand and power tools that occurred on May 19. Only 4 people knew the location of these tools (a lifetime collection of mechanic's and contractor tools including sanders, welding equipment, nailers, handtools, compressors, etc.). These four people all were connected to our employer's supervisor, William Dugan Long. The four were either Mr. Long's son, Mr. Long's previously fired mechanic Earl Scruggs, Earl's Mobile Garage, and two men hired by Mr. Long through a company in Portland to pressure wash (Snugs Pressure Wash) semi tractor equipment in a yard in Sherwood, OR.
Mr. Long (Nationwide Book & Magazine Distributors, Irving, Texas) hired us to perform mechanic work on his firm' semi trailers out of a storage yard in Sherwood, OR. He came to our home and examined our shop and its contents the weekend prior to the moving of all the tools. He encouraged us to bring everything with us, as "you just don;t know what tools you might need." He provided us with a key to a storage semi trailer and helped us load the tools into the trailer, which already contained some items purchased by Nationwide.
For 3 days we used the tools and slept at the yard, on the 3rd day the pressure washer firm, Snug's Mobile Was, came to the yard and observed us putting away our tools and leaving the yard. We went home for two nights. On the 3rd day Mr. Long called us and told us the tools we had moved into the trailer were GONE.
After 4 hours of phone calls back and forth Mr. Long finally calls the illustrious Washington County Sheriff's Department out of Beaverton, Oregon. Officer Mark Amos arrives with a civilian rider. He immediately instructs us to step away from the trailer, as he has to make his examination.
Mr. Long arrives after the officer and claims, after looking in the trailer a second time (remember, he discovered the theft) and tells all of us he has a set of Thunderbird wheels stolen also.
We encouraged Officer Amos to make fingerprints. He did not want to do so, citing that "neighborhood crack addicts were surely responsible for the theft" and "we will never find out who did this."
A week passes and we are allowed to make an inventory of the loss, having completed a hastily prepared list the day we met the officer there. We then learn the case is transferred to a Detective Chad Lotman, of the Property Crimes Unit. We speak to him for the first time about 10 days after the theft.
We tell him how the tools came to be in the trailer, and how Mr. Long and his son both are convicted felons, having connections with Mr. Scruggs, the fired mechanic, to buy and sell stolen merchandise with several fences (by the admission of Mr. Long to us). Mr. Lotman explains how busy they are at the sheriff's office, but that he will make some p0hone calls.
Four months go by, and we are without tools or word of the investigation, and of course we have left the employ of Nationwide Book & Magazine, who is now denying that they ever hired us as mechanics, ever told us to load our tools into their trailer, and that they have no insurance or liability.
Finally, we contact the District Attorney's office, at the advice of Officer Jon Shaver, Washington County Sheriff's Department by certified mail. They have never responded after 45 days of receipt of our questions about why this felony theft has not been properly investigated.
Yesterday we received an email from a different detective, Gary Jensen, that the case has been closed, no suspects, that several interviews were conducted, and oh, by the way, we can pay for a copy of the police report.
BEWARE - IF YOU LIVE OR WORK IN WASHINGTON COUNTY, OREGON - protect yourself and your property! Your public servants are underfunded, uninterested, and self-serving. God forbid a Capital Crime should be committed against you or your family members. You will not be served.
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