The Barometer Online

Issue date: 4/3/09 Section: News

Media Credit: Oregon State Police Friedrich [Click to enlarge]

Media Credit: Oregon State Police Oliver [Click to enlarge]

Oregon State Police and the Corvallis Police department have captured two car theft suspects early this morning, due in large part to a pair of untied shoes and wet pant legs.

OSP Sergeant Von Schleicher said that OSP recently increased patrols on campus after the night of St. Patrick's day when there was a serious outbreak of car break-ins and stolen vehicles.

Nineteen cars were affected that night, including four from the Gem parking lot, two from the Sackett Hall parking lot, three from the Wilson Hall parking lot, five cars total from the Crop Science building parking lot, two cars from the Finley Hall parking lot and three from the parking garage.

Most of the cars were broken into and had valuable items removed, but in one instance a 1994 Black Honda Civic 2-door went missing from the Finley Hall parking lot.

On Friday night, a female student reported that she had parked her Honda in a residence hall parking lot and 10 minutes later discovered that her car was missing. A trooper from OSP found the car two blocks away and cataloged the missing items.

At around 12:40 a.m., Trooper Nathan House spotted a Honda Civic driving slowly through a parking lot. After the occupants of the vehicle spotted the marked car, they quickly left the lot and were pursued by House, who had his overhead lights on. Within three blocks, the Honda Civic was pulled into an apartment complex and the occupants, one male and one female, fled on foot.

While trying to flee, the female passenger tripped on her untied shoelaces and was overtaken by House and arrested. The male driver was not caught.

The female was identified as Kristine Marie Oliver, 24, of Eugene, and confirmed that some of the valuables in the car were stolen from the victim.

Corvallis police and a canine unit were called to help OSP, and the dog unit was able to track the male suspect to Oak Creek, where he had apparently entered the creek.

Around 5:30 a.m. Corvallis Police Officer Jason Harvey was patrolling with his canine and saw a man come out of the brush on Philomath Boulevard. The man's pant legs were soaked, and he fit the description of the earlier suspect who had escaped into the creek, which led to his arrest. The suspect, Jacob Moses Friedrich, 31, of Springfield, was taken into custody.

Both are being lodged in Benton County Jail.

Friedrich faces charges of three outstanding Lane County warrants involving larceny. He also faces charges of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle (two counts), unauthorized entry into a motor vehicle (two counts), felony attempt to elude in a vehicle, misdemeanor attempt to elude on foot, possession of burglar tools and was cited on three traffic violations, including driving while suspended, all by OSP.

Oliver also faces other charges, including two outstanding Lane Country warrants charging burglary in the first degree and failure to appear in the first degree, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle (two counts), unauthorized entry of a motor vehicle (two counts), theft in the second degree and interfering with a police officer.

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