Police investigating theft, torching of Les Schwab truck in Milton-Freewater

Published 3:00 pm Tuesday, December 24, 2019

MILTON-FREEWATER — The Umatilla County Sheriff’s Office and Milton-Freewater Police Department are jointly investigating a theft and apparent torching of a Les Schwab Tire Center service truck that took place on Monday morning in Milton-Freewater.

According to Umatilla County Sheriff Terry Rowan, a deputy responded to the scene around 2:45 a.m. on Eastside Road where Milton-Freewater Rural Fire was already working to extinguish a vehicle fire.

The deputy assisted at the scene and began investigating for evidence of who or what started the fire, Rowan said, and identified the vehicle as belonging to Les Schwab once the fire was out.

While investigating at the business on East Broadway Avenue, Rowan said the deputy noticed a locked gate that had seemingly been broken into and an open spot where the vehicle may have been stolen from.

According to Rowan, the deputy contacted the Milton-Freewater PD and a Les Schwab employee who confirmed the truck belonged to the business.

Later Monday, Rowan said, the deputy returned to the scene of the vehicle fire to conduct another sweep for evidence but didn’t find anything of substance.

Milton-Freewater Police Chief Doug Boedigheimer told the Walla Walla Union-Bulletin the truck was a 2007 GMC C54 and its keys were in the ignition when it was stolen from Les Schwab.

The theft and apparent torching comes just days after another vehicle was stolen from the Les Schwab in Milton-Freewater, according to an employee, and is among other car thefts that have occurred in the area, according to the police department’s media bulletin.

On the morning of Dec. 17, a Milton-Freewater resident reported their van was stolen from their home on the 100 block of Raspberry Loop. The next day, a business on the 200 block of East Broadway Avenue reported a car was stolen.

On Tuesday, Rowan said the case is being investigated as an isolated incident.

“I’m not aware of any other crimes connected to it at this time,” Rowan said, though he acknowledged the Milton-Freewater PD may have other information that could change that.

Chief Doug Boedigheimer was unavailable to be reached for further comment on Tuesday.