Gales Creek man arrested for theft in North Plains

A Gales Creek resident was arrested for theft of construction equipment after officers followed a tip about the suspect’s truck and stolen equipment on Cox Road.

According to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, a North Plains officer was notified of a theft of construction equipment near NW Commercial St and NW 311th Ave. informed.

The owner of the construction company told the sheriff’s office that the stolen equipment was worth over $10,000.

In public social media posts, Joe Mallory, the owner of the named construction company – Subcom Excavation & Utilities, a Hillsboro-based company – asked for help finding the thief, and officers were able to obtain video footage of the suspect and his truck, Mallory and A tip from a community member led officers to their suspect.

Shaun Billman, 40, was arrested and charged in connection with the theft on May 2, the sheriff’s office said.

According to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, on the evening of May 2, officers attended a residence in the Gales Creek area on Cox Road – about a mile east of downtown Gales Creek – where Billman is believed to live and found him outside along with the truck pictured in the footage and the stolen equipment.

A news release indicated that Billman lived in Forest Grove, but the sheriff’s office said in an email to the Gales Creek Journal that the Cox Road location, which has a Forest Grove mailing address, was his residence.

Billman was arrested, taken to the Washington County Jail and charged with first-degree grand larceny.

“The Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the community for their assistance in the investigation,” the Sheriff’s Office said, adding that the equipment has been returned to its rightful owner.

Chas Hundley is editor of the Gales Creek Journal and its sister publications Banks Post and Salmonberry Magazine. He grew up in Gales Creek and has a cat.