On July 21, 2023, Tillamook County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested two juvenile males in connection with a string of thefts and armed robberies which occurred at the Rockaway Beach Center Market convenience store during the month of July.
Video surveillance footage showed two suspects using knives pointed at the store clerk while performing the theft of several items, which included alcohol and vape products. Store owners posted screen grabs of the footage and the suspects were identified by a member of the public as teens that were participating in a several weeks long leadership workshop at a local youth church camp. The 16, and 17 -year-old suspects were arrested at the camp, and their parents refused to allow them to be interviewed or cooperate with the investigation. Several items were seized from the youths, and a search warrant was executed on those items.
The two juveniles were transported to the Tillamook County Juvenile Department, and then on to a juvenile detention center in Yamhill County. TCSO’s Rockaway Beach Patrol Deputy, Kevin Grogan, was the lead investigator for this case. “I originally took a shoplifting call involving these two juveniles in the beginning of July. Over the course of a couple of weeks, they escalated their crimes to Robbery in the First Degree. Luckily, no one was hurt,” said Deputy Grogan.
It should be noted that if charged as an adult, a conviction for Robbery in the First Degree is a Measure 11 crime in Oregon and has a minimum prison sentence of 34 months. The case was referred to the Tillamook County District Attorney’s Office and the Tillamook Juvenile Department for further consideration.
TCSO does not release the names of juveniles involved in criminal investigations.