On Friday August 4, 2017, at 4:15 a.m., Central Precinct officers responded to the 1500 block of Southeast Holly Street on the report of a naked man turning on a water faucet.
As officers responded to the area, the caller informed officers he believed the suspect was responsible for a string of incidents that had caused thousands of dollars of damage to homes in the Ladd's Addition Neighborhood.
Officers established a perimeter and searched for the suspect. The suspect, 30-year-old Moyhijah Widger-Chongo, was located and taken into custody in the 1500 block of Southeast Holly Street.
During this morning's investigation officers contacted detectives from the Portland Police Bureau Detective Coordination Team (DCT) and officers with the Central Precinct Neighborhood Response Team (NRT). Information was gathered during an investigation that began on Tuesday August 1, 2017, when the Office of Neighborhood Involvement (ONI) contacted Central Precinct NRT and informed officers of multiple acts of vandalism in the Ladd's Addition Neighborhood. Based on the investigation, Widger-Chongo is suspected of vandalizing over 40 homes that caused nearly $50,000.00 in damage.
Investigators learned that at the beginning of July 2017, Widger-Chongo began turning on the exterior water faucets at homes in the Ladd's Addition Neighborhood. Widger-Chongo would leave the water faucets running, which flooded basements of some homes.
Widger-Chongo was also linked to a May 2017 burglary.
Widger-Chongo was booked into the Multnomah County Jail on 14 felony and misdemeanor crimes. Upon lodging Widger-Chongo at the Multnomah County Jail, officers requested that Multnomah County Jail Mental Health Services contact and assess Widger-Chongo.
Investigators believe there may be additional victims. Anyone who has information or was a victim is asked to contacted Central Precinct NRT Officer Shaun Sahli at 503-823-0076 or Shaun.Sahli@portlandoregon.gov
Source: Portland Police