WEDNESDAY, JULY 18, 2018
HERMISTONHERALD.COM • A11
LOCAL
Convenience store safety is difficult
POM programs for
teachers, students
By JAYATI RAMAKRISHNAN
STAFF WRITER
Convenience store clerks
are the keepers of many
American treasures — beef
jerky sticks, Scratch-its and
Slurpees, to name a few. But
they also face a more dan-
gerous occupational hazard
than most — the possibility
of being robbed at gunpoint
while working.
Though it’s not a frequent
occurrence,
convenience
stores in Umatilla County
periodically see armed rob-
beries. In the past three years
there have been robberies at
several stores, including Sin-
clair Station, 7-Eleven, 11th
Street Market in Hermis-
ton, Center Market in Stan-
field and the Astro Station in
Pendleton.
According to the Bureau
of Labor Statistics in 2015,
first-line supervisors of
retail sales workers suf-
fered the most workplace
fatalities nationwide, at 40.
There were 35 fatalities
for cashiers, 34 for police
and sheriff’s patrol offi-
cers and 27 for taxi driv-
ers. Robbers were the most
common perpetrators, fol-
lowed by coworkers, and
then by spouses or domestic
partners.
Local store owners and
managers said while such
incidents are scary, they’re
hard to predict and prevent.
Gurpal Singh and Jas-
winder Kaur, managers of
the Center Market in Stan-
field, said their business has
been robbed twice, once in
December 2015, and in Feb-
ruary 2016. In the first inci-
dent, the thief took $379
and in the second, about
$1,100. The first time, Kaur
was working alone and was
robbed at gunpoint. The sec-
ond time, Kaur was train-
ing a new employee, and
the robber did not take out a
weapon. Both robberies took
place around 1 or 2 a.m.
The thief in the first rob-
bery, Alfredo Lopez Rodri-
guez, was sentenced to 70
months in jail. The second
theft has not been solved.
turing project, applying the
skills they’ve learned.
There are only a few
spots left in the camp, but
those interested can con-
tact Port of Morrow Work-
force Training Coordina-
tor Kalie Davis at kalied@
portofmorrow.com.
Five teachers from
around Eastern Oregon
will also study some busi-
nesses at the port, in order
to develop lessons that
help their students under-
stand careers in the manu-
facturing industry.
Davis said the teach-
ers are from different dis-
ciplines, including math,
career counseling and sci-
ence. The teachers will
spend a few days in Port-
land, and then will spend
July 19, and July 23
through 26 at the port.
They will shadow some-
one at Lamb Weston, meet
with the Port of Morrow
Road Crew, Amazon Web
Services, PGE and several
construction groups.
HERMISTON HERALD
The Port of Morrow will
become a classroom this
month, with two new pro-
grams focused on educat-
ing people about careers in
manufacturing and indus-
trial technology.
The Port of Morrow will
host a teacher externship,
as well as a camp for junior
high school students.
The camp, called “Nuts,
Bolts and Thingamajigs,”
will take place from Mon-
day, July 23 to Friday, July
27. The port applied for a
grant last year from the
Manufacturing and Fab-
rication Association. Stu-
dents from around Mor-
row and western Umatilla
counties will tour busi-
nesses at the port, includ-
ing Lamb Weston and
Portland General Electric,
and hear from speakers at
Amazon Web Services and
Boardman Foods. Students
will also spend half of each
day working on a manufac-
PHOTO COURTESY OF HERMISTON POLICE DEPARTMENT
Surveillance footage of an armed robbery at 11th St. Market in January. This suspect has still
not been caught. The suspect brandished a gun and took the small amount of cash.
Singh noted that in one of
the incidents, security cam-
era footage later revealed
that the robber had come
into the store three times
that day.
He said the police have
been diligent about checking
in on the market, and will
often station themselves on
a nearby street to keep watch
during overnight hours.
He said the store is
insured against theft, and the
business policy is simple:
don’t argue with the robber,
and cooperate.
“What’s important is
your life,” he said. “Not the
money, not the store.”
Brandt Koo, owner of
Hermiston’s 11th Street
Market, said their approach
is similar.
“Our rule is pretty much
just give them the cash,”
he said. “There’s no sense
dying for a few hundred
dollars.”
Koo has owned the store
since late March, after it was
robbed twice in January. He
said they try not to keep too
much cash on hand, keep the
store well-lit, and have sev-
eral security cameras and
alarms.
Hermiston Police Capt.
Travis Eynon said there
have not been any specific
patterns with robberies at
local convenience stores.
“Now I’m a little better.
I had bad dreams
after that.”
Jaswinder Kaur,
Co-manager, Center Market
“It’s hard to say what trig-
gers these kinds of trends,”
he said. “With some, it’s
kind of the nature of the
business — they can be a
target just because they’re
open at night, or odd hours.”
While police are usually
on scene pretty quickly, they
rarely catch someone in the
act, and it can be difficult to
track robbers.
“Several of the investiga-
tions are still active,” Eynon
said.
Koo said that while there
was a rash of robberies ear-
lier in the year, he’s not too
concerned. He said many
of his family members have
owned stores in larger areas
like Los Angeles, where
the problem is much more
serious.
“They didn’t get very
much,” he said of recent rob-
beries. “Hermiston police
have been really good about
it.”
Kaur said she had a hard
time returning to work after
the robberies, and attended
counseling until recently.
“Now I’m a little better,”
she said. “I had bad dreams
after that.”
She no longer works the
night shift and generally
works with someone else.
But at most stores, only one
person works at night.
“You have to stay alert,”
Singh said. “I always say
that to my night workers. If
you’re working in the cooler
or in the back, if you hear
the bell ring, come out and
see who is there.”
Singh said the majority of
their regular customers have
been supportive, and even
protective of their family
following the robberies.
“Everyone gave me their
phone numbers, said any
time, for anything, call us,”
Kaur said.
Umatilla County Sheriff ’s
Office recovers property,
seeks theft suspect
ered two Chevrolet pick-
ups, a John Deere front
loader, a dump trailer, cop-
per wire and much more.
But suspect Zachary
Lawrence Bartz, 25, was
not at the location and
remains at-large. State
court records show Bartz
has convictions from 2011
through 2014 for vehicle
theft, fleeing police, theft,
burglary and more.
Sheriff’s investigators
questioned two other indi-
viduals at the scene and
released them. The sher-
iff’s office now is ask-
ing for the public’s help
and would like anyone
with information on the
case or the whereabouts of
Bartz to call the agency at
541-966-3651.
HERMISTON HERALD
The Umatilla County
Sheriff’s Office remains on
the lookout for a theft sus-
pect after recovering stolen
vehicles and more.
The sheriff’s office in a
written statement reported
detective Loren Westmo-
reland on July 11 received
a tip regarding several sto-
len vehicles at a prop-
erty on Echols Road near
Hermiston.
“Detectives went to the
location,” according to
the sheriff’s office, “and
saw some of the stolen
vehicles.”
The sheriff’s office
obtained a search warrant
for the property, according
to the statement, and recov-
EAST'40OREGON
marketplace
Place classified ads online at www.eastFSOoregonmarketplace.com or call 1-800-962-2819 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
After hours, leave a voicemail and we’ll confirm your ad the next business day. Email us at classiGieds@ eastoregonian.com or fax: 541-278-2680
East Oregonian
Deadline is 3 p.m. the day before publication
211 S.E. Byers Ave.
333 E. Main St.
We accept:
Pendleton, OR 97801 Hermiston, OR 97838
See www.eastFSOoregonmarketplace.com for classified ads from all over Eastern Oregon
EAST OREGONIAN • HERMISTON HERALD • BLUE MOUNTAIN EAGLE • WALLOWA COUNTY CHIEFTAIN
104 Special Notices
354 Auction Sales
360 Garage Sales
502 Real Estate
504 Homes for Sale
504 Homes for Sale
Estate Sale
TURN HERE REALTY ---Look
for the big blue arrow on SW
vourt and drop by to find all your
Real Estate Needs. Access to
all listings for your convenience.
Free market analysis to list your
home at the right price.
vall Kerry
541-377-6855
TURN HERE REALTY &
TRAVEL
305 SW Court Ave
Prices are up! Now may be the
time to gain some equity and
move up to a larger home. vall
Matt Vogler for a free Market
Analysis.
John J. Howard & Assoc.
(541) 377-9470
vurrent MLS listings include
several 3 and 4 bedroom, 2 bath
homes for sale in popular loca-
tions. vall Matt Vogler, “The
Weekend and After Hours Re-
altor” for addresses and pricing.
541.377.9470
Tools, garden tools, kitchen ta-
ble set, couch, double bed, toys,
baby walker, carseat, misc.
PLEASE CHECK YOUR
AD ON THE FIRST DAY
OF PUBLICATION.
While we are happy to make
any necessary corrections,
we can not be responsible
for errors appearing for mul-
tiple days. Thank you!
CLASSIFIED LINE AD
DEADLINES
East Oregonian
3pm the day prior to
publication
Hermiston Herald
10am Tuesday
1-800-962-2819
classifieds@eastoregonian.com
BUY IT!
SELL IT!
FIND IT!
East Oregonian
&ODVVLÀHG
1-800-962-2819
Real Estate Auctions Tollgate
vabin @ Langdon Lake.
Built in 1995.
4 Bed, 2 Bath, Garage.
2742 SqFt. on 10ac.
Acreage sub-dividable.
Sleeps 10 comfortably.
vomes fully furnished.
Auction @ Red Lion Inn.
Pendleton 08/02 ~ 1:30p
$10,000 Deposit to Bid.
Refunded if bid not won.
BookerAuction.com
vontact Lewis Key
@ JOHN L. SvOTT
(509)520-4938
360 Garage Sales
Tools, brass, bullets, bench
grinders, vice, books, cook-
ware, womens clothes, furniture,
stroller and lots of misc.
621 SE 8th St. Pendleton
Saturday Only July 21
8am - ??
No Early Sales!
Fundraiser Yard Sale
for
Guardian vare venter
vouch set, dining table, toys,
lots of misc.
No price tags, make offers.
(Sorry, we won’t have change)
184 Personals
vontact Dayle or Grace at
431 SE 3rd Street, Pendleton.
Saturday 9am-3pm
classifieds@eastoregonian.com
YOUR DREAM HOME
1-800-962-2819
to place your classified ad!
LVULJKWKHUHLQWKH&ODVVLÀHGV
Check our real estate listings.
45319 Trail Drive, Pendleton.
Turn on Mission Road, go past
Elizabethan Manor and the stop
light to SE 54th Street, turn right
then left on Trail Drive.
Friday 8am-2pm
Saturday 8am-?
Classified Ads work hard for you!
Looking for a new place to
live? The classified ads offer
a complete section of homes,
apartments, and mobile
homes to fit your needs.
Check daily for new listings!
CALL CLASSIFIEDS!
1-800-962-2819
CLASSIFIEDS WORK!
502 Real Estate
How Much is your Home Worth?
vall Matt Vogler, The Week-
end and After Hours Realtor,
for a free Market Analysis.
541.377.9470. More Listings
needed to meet current buyer
demand!
John J. Howard & Assoc.
(541) 377-9470
Looking for a 3 or 4 bedroom
home? Looking for a garage or
Shop? vall Kerry at Turn Here
Realty to find the one on your
wishlist.
541-377-6855
TURN HERE REALTY &
TRAVEL
305 SW Court Ave
Thinking of selling or buying a
home? I am happy to help with
all your real estate needs and I
am available evenings, week-
ends and holidays to accommo-
date your busy schedule. Also
available on short notice. vall
varolyn Rovier
Ranch-N-Home Realty
541-786-0822
Thinking of selling? Prices are
climbing as well as the interest
rates, it is a great time to sell
as the inventory is limited. Free
market analysis available, call
me today to schedule an ap-
pointment.
varolyn Rovier
Ranch-N-Home Realty
541-786-0822
List your
Yard Sale with the
East Oregonian and
Hermiston Herald
for only
$25!
Price includes 3 days in the East Oregonian and
1 day in the Hermiston Herald, unlimited words,
a yard sale sign kit, and special placement in a
convenient "cut-out" ad on Friday and Saturday.
*Deadline is 9:00 AM on Tuesday to appear in the Hermiston Herald, or 3:00
PM Wednesday to appear in the Thursday East Oregonian.
211 SE Byers, Pendleton
Dayle Stinson
Grace Bubar
1-800-962-2819
333 E Main, Hermiston
FODVVL¿HGV#HDVWRUHJRQLDQFRP