Officers arrested one suspected burglar after Sonitrol Pacific Operator Jessica Culver heard the break-in at Parr Lumber and called authorities September 30.
Culver heard glass breaking, men’s voices and sounds of movement inside the building over the Sonitrol Pacific audio security sensors and called police. She continued to listen to keep police informed of what was happening and heard banging noises, what sounded like people going through drawers and metal clanking. Culver heard police sirens, followed by noise indicating the intruders took off running. Officers located one suspect hiding in the yard and launched a wider search for a second suspect.
Police have arrested and accused a Hillsboro man of breaking into a Hillsboro Parr Lumber store early Friday morning, and they believe there may be a second suspect.
Shortly before 1:20 a.m., the man broke one of the store’s windows and entered, said Lt. Mike Rouches, Hillsboro police spokesman. When the window broke, the company’s silent alarm was triggered and police began to respond to the store, located at 21700 Northwest Wagon Way.
The store’s alarm, Rouches said, is monitored, so employees at the alarm company listened to the sounds of footsteps and “metal clunking” inside.
Hillsboro officers and Washington County sheriff ’s deputies surrounded the store, with sirens blaring, Rouches said.
Reportedly, a total of eight Hillsboro and six sheriff ’s office units responded.
Hillsboro tracking dog Odie located the man, whom police identified as 33-year-old Paul A. True, hiding in the lumber yard, Rouches said. He reportedly was taken into custody on accusations of second-degree burglary and lodged in the Washington County Jail.
Rouches said it didn’t appear as if True was able to take anything from the store. Police, Rouches said, believe there may be a second suspect based on the scale of the mess that was made in the store.
Officers reportedly arrived at the call less than five minutes after the alarm went off , and areas of the store were in disarray, Rouches said. True, Rouches said, may not have had time to make such a large mess alone.
Detectives have been out at the store collecting evidence.