There’s not much more to add to the Portland Police Bureau’s release about a weird theft report Sunday, other than this is the first time I’ve heard of someone using a dog specifically as an assault weapon—as opposed to just reacting apologetically when their dog (any kind, not just pit bulls, which, yes, can be well-trained) goes off on its own and eats someone’s face.
The missing loot in this case is also pretty funny: a backpack holding bike lock and a pack of smokes. (No, I’m not wasting the cops’ time by asking them what kind of Marlboros. My guess, though, is Red 100s.)
On Sunday July 11, 2011, at 5:21 p.m., Portland Police officers assigned to Central Precinct responded to the report of a robbery at Southeast Water Avenue and Main Street. Officers arrived and contacted the victims, 41-year-old Rodney Graves and his 14-year-old son.
Mr. Graves told the officers that he and his son were walking their bicycles along the Vera Katz Eastbank Esplanade when the male suspect approached them holding a leashed white and gray pit bull. Mr. Graves told officers that the suspect demanded their bags as he pulled on the pit bull’s leash in a manner indicating that he was trying to hold the dog back from attacking. Mr. Graves told officers that he threw his bike at the suspect but the suspect did not leave and continued to threaten him and his son so they gave the suspect their backpacks.
Mr. Graves told officers after the suspect took their backpacks, he and his pit bull walked away northbound along the esplanade. Mr. Graves told officers that the robbery occurred near the Salmon Street Plaza along the Eastbank Esplanade.
Officers in the area located the suspect and the pit bull underneath the Westside of the Morrison Bridge and took him and the pit bull into custody. Officers were able to recover the 14-year-old’s bag nearby the robbery scene. The other bag that was not recovered is described as a brown or olive Adidas back-pack containing a new Krypton bicycle locking cable and a pack of Marlboro cigarettes.
The suspect was identified as 29-year-old Jan Leith Haga Jr., no known address. Haga was interviewed by Robbery Detectives then booked into the Multnomah County Jail on one count of Robbery in the First Degree.
The pit bull was turned over to Multnomah County Animal Control.