Burglars Arrested In Northeast Portland Neighborhood Wednesday

PORTLAND, OR — Two men were arrested in Northeast Portland Wednesday morning for allegedly breaking into a Madison South neighborhood home while the homeowner was there, according to Portland police.

Thomas Lynn Phelps II, 43, and Derrick William Dryden, 42, were both taken to the Multnomah County Jail on burglary charges.

Phelps was charged with first and second degree burglary, criminal mischief, and possession of a stolen vehicle. His bail is set at $61,000, though he is also on a county hold for an unrelated probation violation stemming from a previous burglary conviction as well as a warrant for giving false information to an officer.

Dryden was charged with first and second degree burglary and possession of a stolen vehicle. His bail is set at $60,000.

Officers from the Portland Police Bureau's East Precinct were dispatched to a reported residential robbery in the 8900-block of Northeast Thompson Street just after 7:30 a.m. Nov. 29, Portland police spokesman Sgt. Christopher Burley said in a statement. The homeowner who called 911 reportedly told dispatchers he could hear people — who weren't supposed to be there — inside his house and that an unfamiliar car was in his driveway.

Dispatchers encouraged the homeowner to meet the officers outside for his own safety, Burley said.

When officers arrived, they established a perimeter around the house after speaking with the homeowner, Burley said.

While waiting for a K9 team to arrive, one of the suspects reportedly came out of the house and was promptly arrested. When the second suspect came out and saw Portland officers everywhere, he ran back inside and tried to escape through a back window, Burley said.

During his attempted escape, the suspect is thought to have broken a water pipe, flooding the basement. After speaking with the suspect from outside, officers encouraged him to give himself up. He was taken into custody shortly after.

The K9 team searched the home after the first two men were arrested but found no other individuals inside, Burley said. A search of the car in the driveway reportedly turned up several other items police believe were stolen recently, such as leaf blowers, tool boxes, and the car itself — which had been reported stolen earlier.

Burley said officers believe the two men parked the car before going inside the home.

Anyone who lives in or around the Madison South neighborhood who's had property stolen recently is asked to call the Burglary Taskforce at 503-823-2874.

This post will be updated when more information is available.

This post was updated to include the names of the suspects involved in this case.

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