A Gales Creek resident was arrested for the theft of construction equipment after deputies followed a tip to the suspect’s truck and the stolen equipment off of Cox Road.
According to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, a deputy serving the city of North Plains was notified of a theft of construction equipment near NW Commercial St and NW 311th Ave.
The construction company owner told the sheriff’s office that the equipment stolen was valued at over $10,000.
Public social media posts by Joe Mallory, the owner of said construction company — Subcom Excavation & Utilities, a Hillsboro-based company — sought community help in tracking down the thief, and deputies were able to obtain video footage of the suspect and his truck from Mallory and a tip from a community member led deputies to their suspect.
Shaun Billman, 40, was arrested and charged in connection to the theft on May 2, the sheriff’s office said.
According to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, deputies made a visit on the evening of May 2 to a Gales Creek-area residence off Cox Road — about one mile east of downtown Gales Creek — where they said Billman lives, and found him outside along with the truck pictured in footage and the stolen equipment.
A press release noted that Billman was a Forest Grove resident, but the sheriff’s office said the Cox Road location, which has a Forest Grove mailing address was his residence in an email to the Gales Creek Journal.
Billman was arrested, transported to the Washington County Jail, and charged with aggravated theft in the first degree.
“The Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the community for their assistance in the investigation,” the sheriff’s office said, adding that the equipment was returned to the rightful owner.
Chas Hundley is the editor of the Gales Creek Journal and sister news publications the Banks Post and the Salmonberry Magazine. He grew up in Gales Creek and has a cat.
