Photo: Brad Newgard
Photo: One of the vehicles used by the suspects
Over the past four days, Washington County Sheriff’s Office deputies have taken three reports of a pair of thieves targeting victims and stealing their valuables. Each time, the suspects used suspicious tactics to steal from the victims. The total losses are over $10,000.
The suspects pulled up on the street outside one victim’s home in Aloha and called him over. They told him were going to gift him a necklace as part of their cultural tradition. They placed their “gift” necklace on him and handed him other jewelry, which all turned out to be worthless, and $5 cash. The thieves left and he then realized his own necklace had been stolen off of him. It was a family heirloom which was a gift from his mother.
The same couple approached an elderly woman outside her house in the Cedar Mill neighborhood and also told her they wanted to gift her a ring. They pulled her engagement ring off her finger, using the same scheme of promising to place their “gift” ring on her finger before returning her own ring. Instead, the thieves gave the woman a bag with a sock and costume jewelry. After they left, the woman realized her ring was not in the sock as they claimed.
With the third victim, they walked up to him outside a store in the Cedar Mill area and took money out of a wallet he was wearing around his neck. When he demanded they return his money, they gave him a sock with paper inside and left.
Detectives with the Property Crimes Unit were notified and are asking for the public’s help to identify the suspects. The victims described the female suspect as having a strong foreign accent, possibly Middle Eastern, short (about 5’4”), with dark hair past her shoulders. They described the male suspect as also having a strong foreign accent, possibly Middle Eastern, about 5’10”, short dark hair, with a short beard.
Detectives believe the suspects are using multiple vehicles. One was described as a newer white Jeep Cherokee with California plates. Another may be a blue or gray cargo van with no back windows.
If you have any information about these crimes, know about additional victims, or can help identify the suspects, please contact the Sheriff’s Office 24/7 at 503-846-2700.
Source: Washington County Sheriff's Office