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Page A l
Mav 19, 1999
(The ÿ a rtla n b (Dbseruer
P O L IC E N E W S
C R IM E
S T O P P E R S
Elderly Theft Scam
T he Portland Police B ureau, the
M ilw aukie Police D epartm ent, and
the C lackam as C ounty S h e r if f s
O ffice, in co o p e ratio n w ith C rim e
S to p p ers, are asking for your help
in id e n tify in g and ap p reh en d in g a
cou p le w ho are v ic tim izin g e ld ­
erly peo p le by m eans o f a th e ft
scam . S ince M arch, in the three
ju risd ic tio n s , th e re have been a
to ta l o f sixteen rep o rted cases. In
m ost cases the victim has been
o v er eighty y ears o f age. It is also
believ ed that as m any as three d if­
ferent fem ales m ay be w orking
w ith the sam e m ale suspect.
The couple’s M.O. is to "talk
their way into the victim ’s hom e
Som etim es they offer to do repairs,
w hile at other tim es they claim to
have done repairs on the house in the
past. Once inside, the m ale suspect
usually asks to use the bathroom .
W hile the female suspect keeps the
victim distracted, the m ale suspect
steals items from anyw here he can
get to in the home. O ccasionally, it
an item o f value is in plain view o f the
victim, one o f the suspects will d is­
tract the victim w hile the other steals
the item. The m ost frequently stolen
items have been cash, credit cards,
and jew elry.
T he m ale su sp ect is d escrib ed
as w hite, 30 to 45 y ears o f ag e,
5 ’6” to 5 ’ 7” ta ll, 150 to 170
pounds, w ith sh o rt d ark h air th at is
po ssib ly gray in g .
The female suspects are described as:
1. W hite, 30 years o f age, 5 '4 to
5’5” tall. 130 pounds, w ith a medium
build, and light brow n or dark blond
shoulder length hair.
2. W hite, 40 years o f age, 5 '7 ”,
130 pounds, with a thin build and
short brow n hair.
3. W hite, 5 ’7” tall, thin build,
very thin face, w ith red o r blond
shoulder length hair.
Suspect vehicles have been de­
scribed as a blue or black sm all se­
dan, and a gray 1980’s com pact or
m idsize vehicle.
C rim e Stoppers is offering a cash
rew ard o f up to S I,000 for inform a­
tion, reported to C rim e Stoppers, that
leads to an arrest in this case, or any
unsolved felony crim e, and you need
not give your name. Call C rim e Stop­
pers at (503) 823-H E L P.
Crime Doesn’t Pay, But
Fighting Crime Can
PGE offers $100 grants to organizers of National Night Out block parties
Residents interested in fighting
crim e in their neighborhood have a
chance to w in one o f 10, $ 100 grants
from Portland General Electric (PGE)
to be used tow'ard hosting a National
N ight O ut block party on Tuesday,
A ugust 3, 1999.
It’ssimple to enter-writeashort essay
( 100woidsorless)about why it’s impor­
tant to fight crime based on the theme:
"Recipe for a Safe Neighborhood" by
June 11.1999.SendittoPGF.mail at 121
SW Salmon. Portland, Oregon 97204.
Attn: Steve Cox, 1WTCO9O2. or by
,
entail to steve cox;ii om .com .
O ne hundred-dollar grants w ill be
given to w riters o f the ten m ost com ­
pelling entries. Just for entering, all
applicants will receive an official
N ational N ight O ut B lock Party
goodie bag courtesy o f PG E, the
m ain sponsor o f N ational N ight out
in the Portland area.
National Night Out Against Crime,
always the first Tuesday in August,
prov ides a safe and fun way for neigh­
bors to have block parties, celebrate
summer, get to know each other, and
1 leant about crim e nrpt
pnftftn
prevention
H aving a block party is easy and
can ultim ately help neighborhoods
reduce crime. Those interested in hold­
ing National N ight O ut parties should
contact their local neighborhood of­
fice or crim e prevention specialist,
who can suggest ideas for National
Night O ut block parties contact:
• City o f Portland office ofNeighbor-
hood Associations at 503-823-4519
• Salem Police D epartm ent at 503-
588-6499
• City ofV ancouver at 360-696-8222
Graffiti-Tagging
Northeast Precinct O fficers are
seeking the p u b lic’s assistance in
helping to solve a series o f graffiti -
tagging related incidents. Currently
two suspects are under investigation
but officers need the following:
1. Additional inform ation on other
properties that have been vandalized
with the suspect’s tags o f AM O K,
AM UR, ABID E or A BY D E.
2. Inform ation on the suspects,
associates or crew ;
3. Additional inform ation on the
suspects them selves; and
4. Witnesses to com e forward who
may have observed them w hile in the
com m ission o f their crimes.
Since April 1999: O fficers from
N ortheast Precinct have been inves­
tigating a series o f graffiti, o r other­
wise known as tagging incidents, that
have taken place along the area o f the
Broadway business corridor. These
incidents have occurred over the past
several months.
The investigation began on April 4
o f this year after graveyard shift offic­
ers contacted three boys, one age 16
and two age 17 years. Officers were
conducting a car prowl m ission in the
Lloyd Center area after receiving re­
ports on a rash o f car break-ins. O ffic­
ers came upon the youth, who were
out past curfew, shortly before 5:00
am in the area o fN E 16th Avenue and
Broadw ay Street. Officers questioned
the boys and discovered that one o f
the boys w as carrying spray tips. O f­
ficer were aw are o f the recent number
o f graffiti incidents in the area and
that the spray tips the 16 year old boy
was carrying are com m only used by
graffiti vandals and placed on spray
cans to create various designs. O ffic­
ers took the boys home. Officers told
the father o f the 17 year old suspect
that they believed the suspect was
involved in tagging buildings and other
property in the area. Officers were
told by the father that his son had been
spray painting designs in the base­
ment o f his residence but denied any
involvement outside the home. O ffic­
ers suspect that the 17 year o ld’s tag is
“ A BY D E" or “A BID E.”
N ine days later on April 13,1999,
at 3:35 am at NE 28,h A venue and
W asco Street, O fficers once again
contacted the 16 year old boy who
was accom panied by another boy.
U pon attem pting to contact both sus­
pects, one o f the suspects fled on foot
while the other rem ained at the scene.
O fficers believe that the suspect who
fled was one o f the original suspects
contacted on April 4*. The 16 year
old suspect was taken into custody
for curfew violation and the back­
pack he was carrying was searched.
Inside the backpack, officers found
spray paint, paint pens, gloves with
paint on the fingers and docum ents
w ith the tag "A M O K ” or “AM UK
w ritten several tim es on the docu­
ment. It was obvious that the 16 year
old suspect had been practicing his
tag in an effort to personalize his
style. O fficers took the suspect hom e
and spoke with his m other. O fficers
told the m other that they believed
that the 16 year old suspect was in­
volved in the tagging o f properties in
the surrounding neighborhood.
O fficers pursued additional leads
and located the follow ing properties
w ith the tag A M O K sprayed painted
or m arked on the buildings:
1) V ocational V illage, 8020 NE
Tillam ook Street
2) C olossoP ub 19332 NE B road­
w ay Street
3) M arc’s on Broadw ay, 2019 NE
Broadw ay Street
O fficers have also located the tag
ABIDE on a phone booth in the area
o f NE 46th A venue and Thom pson
Street and on properties in the 2000
block N. V ancouver A venue.
On April 26, 1999, as a result o f
this follow up, officers were able to
obtain search warrants and served
them on the two suspects’ homes,
seizing other items believed to have
been used in tagging incidents. These
items include spray paint, markers,
etching instruments, respirators,docu­
ments with the suspects’ tag marked
on them and other personal effect;».
The su sp e c ts’ nam es and ad ­
dresses have not been released pend­
ing further investigation and pend­
ing charges.
A gain, w e are asking anyone with
inform ation that can provide assis­
tance in helping to solve these series
o f graffiti tagging incidents to call
Northeast Precinct at (503 ) 823-5700.
In addition, a rew ard o f up to $ 1000
is being offered through the Crim e
Stoppers program for inform ation
that leads to the arrest o f these sub­
jects. The C rim e Stoppers hotline
num ber is 423-HELP. W e need in­
form ation on:
1. A dditional inform ation on other
properties that have been van
dalized with their tags;
2. Inform ation on their associates
or crew ;
3. A dditional inform ation on the
suspects them selves; and
4. A nyone w ho m ay have w itnessed
them w hile in the com m ission
f
o f their crim es, to please com e
forward.
For further inform ation, please
c o n ta c t C o m m a n d e r D e rric k
Foxworth at (503) 823-5757.
Drug Use In Prison Drops
A report from the O regon D e­
partm ent o f C orrections says drug
use by inm ates in prison has dropped
to below one percent for a year for
the first tim e. M ore th an 400 in­
m ates w ere tested in M arch and all
tested negative according to Les
D olecal o f the state prison system.
Each m onth five percent o f the 85-
hundred inm ates in the prison sys­
tem are tested. T hree years ago the
prison system instituted a no-sm ok-
ing ban on tobacco and since that
tim e it has becom e the hottest Hern
on the prison black m arket.
»*
Promus to Reinvigorate and
Expand Red Lion Hotels & Inns
■
„ .
V A N C O U V E R . W ash — R ed
Lion H otel Brand Brought Back by
___________
A sn
a rto $65.
f
industry
reservation
will
be approxim
ately
As
part o f leading
industry
leading syste
reservation system s
the conv ersion process the reflagged
andG lobalD .sm buU on System finks
on a private-label basis. "A lthough
Doubletree hotels will undergo an
we initially will be a small brand, we
Popular D em and
approxim ate $5 million renovation
Prom us H otel Corporation today
will have all the system s and syner­
program to meet new standards and
announced that it plans to reinv igo-
gies that only a m ajor hotel com pany
are expected to open under the Red
rate and expand its Red Lion Hotels
can provide,” D ina said. This sup­
Lion flag by late September.
& Inns brand.
port will aid us in providing com pre­
“O ur mantra is Care, Comfort and
Promus will relaunc h the two three-
hensive support to the hotel ow ners
Value." said Dina. “We are focusing
star brand in the fall with approxi­
o f our b rand.”
on the values and amenities that made
mately 30 hotels in eight northwest­
Founded in the early 1970s, Red
Red Lion famous. We will provide
ern and w estern states— 20 existing
Lion quickly becam e a popular fam­
distinctive, clean, crisp mid-priced
Red Lion hotels and 10 to 15 con­
ily and business hotel brand in the
hotels v ith a level of service and friend­
verted properties. Promus expects to
Pacific Northwest with the majority
liness not usually associated with this
have 100 Red Lion Hotels & Inns in
o f us
its p properties
along
nnce-oomt Virtually
Virtually anyone
anyone can
can pro-
pro-
or
.v p v .n v located
---------
o the
price-point.
operation by 2003, concentrating ex­
v ide a room, but it is extremely difficult
Interstate S com dor
pansion in the w estern U.S. and Pa­
to provide warm, friendly service. Our
folio o f Red Lions mclude 20 proper-
cific Northwest. “W hile growth will
ties with over 3,000 rooms located in:
major point o f differentiation will be
continue via new m anagem ent con­
Glendale and Sacramento, Califor­
friendliness, a trait for which Red Lion
tracts the focus will be on franchising
nia; Denver. Colorado; Lewiston,
is legendary."
the well established Red Lion name to
Idaho; Elko and Winnemucca, N e­
R ed Lion will launch a new fre­
owners o f existing mid-priced full-
vada; Kalispell and Missoula, M on­
quent guest program and provide fre­
service hotels, w hich will be a first for
tana; Astoria, Bend (two hotels), Coos
quent flyer points. “W e have nearly
the Red Lion Chain,” said J am es Dina,
Bay, Eugene, Klamath Falls and Port­
150,000 m em bers in our database
Red Lion Hotels & Inns chief operat­
land, Oregon; Austin and Houston,
and will upgrade our best custom ers
ing officer, w ho will be responsible
T exas; Aberdeen and Yakima, W ash-
to the Prem ier Level when w e rein­
for the brand’s expansion. Promus
ington; and Jackson Hole, Wyoming.
troduce the brand this fall. O ur fre­
acquired the brand in its m erger with
Promus will convert approximately
qu en t guest program s w ere im ­
Doubletree Hotels in 1997.
10 com pany-owned hotels, currently
m ensely popular, and we intend to
“Red Lion is one o f the m ost popu­
branded as Doubletrees, to the Red
give our guests w hat they want.
lar and recognized hotel brands in
Lion brand. Red Lion is discussing
D ina noted that the com pany cur
the W est and Pacific N orthw est, and
with various other owners the possi-
w .u .
......
--- r
rently is negotiating with airline com-
com
has a highly enthusiastic and loyal
pam esan
illk ick o ffth ep n rn
ro o g ra
ram
bility o f converting 3 to 5 add.t.ona
_____ d i w
..,>11
m s
guest follow ing,” said Dina. We
p
.
nm
ihletree hotels in the region. “At
At
Doubletree
later this year
currently have 20 hotels operating
this time, our strength will be in con­
D ina said that popularity, practi­
under the Red Lion flag, including
verting existing hotels, rather than in
cality and profitability were the pri­
the new ly added R ed Lion Hotel
new construction, ’ Dina said. We
mary considerations in reinvigorating
Denver. Prom us has targeted 10 to
have a great name to build upon. O ur
the brand. “O ur guests kept asking us
15 D oubletree properties for conver­
goal is to maintain the brand's stan­
to keep the brand alive, and we lis­
sion to the R ed Lion brand by this
dards and reputation as we grow.”
tened," he commented. "In some cases,
fall. These hotels will be better suited
Promus Hotel Corporation is one
we found that it is not practical for
as m id-priced. Red Lion properties "
o
f
the
w orld’s prem ier lodging com ­
some o f our owners to undertake ex­
The corporate staff o f Red Lion
panies
with system-wide annual rev­
pensive upgrades to meet Doubletree s
Hotels Inc. will be located in its former
enues
o
ately $5 billion.
newfour-starstandards,’’hesaid.“Red
enues
o
t f approxim
approxim ately
new four-star standards,’’he said. “Red
headquarters city, Vancouver, W ash­
Lion will provide Doubletree and other
The company owns, operates or tran-
ington, at the Western Promus N a­
hotel brand owners with a well-re-
chises more than 1,300 hotels with
n e se rv a tio n f C i e n n t te
p r r. “ W
hotel oranu ownvi»
tio n al . R
% e e
more than 192,000 rooms through­
cmildn’tlx^happier about returning to
gardedftanclnse alternative with lower
o ut the U n ited S tate s, C a n ad a ,
our home in i X c o u v e r ," said Dina.
capital requirem ents that provide^
Typical Red Lion hotels will be
m id-sized, full-service properties,
averaging 150 to 250 rooms, and gen­
erally will offer food and beverage
service, meeting space and catering.
The properties will be well-located,
existing properties with comfortable,
home-style decor and styling. Aver­
age daily rate, depending on location.
À
them with an opportunity to increase
asset value.”
Red Lion, a w holly-ow ned affili­
ate, will have access to all ofProm us'
functional departm ents, such as ac­
counting, property m anagem ent sys­
tem s, hum an resources, purchasing,
inform ation technology and devel­
opm ent. The brand will use Prom us’
Mexico and Latin America. Prom us
is the franchisor and operator o f the
Doubletree Hotels andG uests Suites.
Embassy Suites, H om ew ood Suites,
Club Hotels by Doubletree, H am p­
ton Inn, Hampton Inn and Suites,
Embassy Vacation Resorts, H am p­
ton Vacation Resorts and Red Lion
Hotels & Inns brands
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