Burglars focus on homes of film fans

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March 11, 2008

By Paris Achen

Mail Tribune

Some cunning burglars who in December stole vehicle registrations from cars parked at a Medford movie theater and then burglarized houses while the owners watched a film struck again last weekend.

"The whole thing is kind of spooky," said Medford police Detective Sgt. Mike Budreau. "It's a pretty unusual crime, which is why we think it's the same suspects responsible for all cases."

Someone broke into two vehicles late Friday at Cinemark Tinseltown USA, 651 Medford Center, Medford. They stole vehicle registrations and used the addresses listed on the forms to burglarize a home in the 2000 block of Sweet Briar Drive in Talent between 9 and 11 p.m., making off with property valued at about $3,000.

"What's interesting in this case is the owners hadn't updated the address on their registration," Budreau said. "The suspects went to the previous address. The new residents happened not to be there just by bad luck."

The other residence the would-be thieves visited in the 2000 block of Fallen Leaf Drive in Medford was occupied by other family members, and they did not attempt to enter, Budreau said.

The residents found the stolen registration form in the driveway, he said.

In December, the suspects took vehicle registration forms from multiple cars in the Tinseltown parking lot and burglarized two of the residences listed on the forms, stealing a total of about $20,000 in property. The incidents happened Dec. 4 in the 2800 block of Rogue River Highway in Rogue River and Dec. 18 in the 3500 block of Alderwood Drive in Medford.

"We've beefed up patrols in the area, but it's tough because there are so many people on foot in the area," Budreau said. "Even if someone saw it happening they probably wouldn't know it."

The crimes were featured Dec. 25 on Crime Stoppers on KTVL Channel 10, but the police received no leads.

Police recommended that drivers carry vehicle registration forms with them instead of leaving them inside a vehicle.

Anyone with information about the crimes is asked to call 774-2230.

Reach reporter Paris Achen at 776-4459 or pachen@mailtribune.com.

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