Bricia Mejia

The apprehension earning the silver medal for arrests this year took place at an office park in Portland over the summer when a burglar took a tospy-turvy path up the roof, down the vent, through the bathroom and into the lobby of one of the businesses. At 8:30 p.m. on July 7, Operator Bricia Mejia received alarms from the door in a suite followed by audio of banging. She dispatched Portland Police and the property management security service. The police department called back and advised that they had one in custody.

The following morning, a customer service representative followed up and learned that at least four officers and a K-9 responded to the dispatch along with a ladder truck from the fire department. The suspect made his way onto the roof of the building and then dropped down through a vent into the attic. He found a hatch leading to the women’s bathroom on the main floor and then kicked his way through the door into a dental office. He rifled through all of the dental equipment and damaged cabinet locks. He then found himself locked in the suite but was able to kick through the bathroom door to access the roof the way he came in. Once he was on the roof, officers spotted him and were able to successfully chase him down. He admitted that he was responsible for another break-in as well.