Gotcha! Deputies Place Bait Package on Porch, Arrest Juvenile Who Stole It

The Washington County Sheriff's office is reporting that a 17-year-old was arrested today for stealing a "bait package" outside a home in Aloha on Thursday. The juvenile's father was with him at the time but was not arrested, according to a press release.

The arrest is part of the Sheriff's Office "bait package" program and is equipped with a tracking device that was triggered when the suspect grabbed the package. Sheriff's deputies used tracking equipment to quickly locate the vehicle the young man was traveling in and initiated a traffic stop at SW 165th Avenue and SW Farmington Road.

The driver of the vehicle was Alex's father, 37-year-old Orville Baumgardner of Hillsboro. After deputies and detectives interviewed all the occupants of the vehicle, including other juveniles, they determined that the occupants were out looking for cans. The 17-year-old got out of the vehicle and told his father he was going to look for a lost dog. He ran down the block, grabbed the package, and returned a short time later. He reportedly hid the package in the vehicle and no one else knew it was there.

The 17-year-old was arrested for theft in the second degree and referred to the juvenile department. He was later released to the custody of his parents. The Sheriff's Office bait package program is still in effect with packages placed strategically throughout Washington County.

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