Thieves Take 5 Tons of Watermelon from Oregon Stores
Police and Clackamas County sheriff’s detectives say two men stole 17 pallets of watermelon – about 5 tons – from grocery stores in Beaverton and Tigard.
Officials say they hit WinCo stores in the early morning hours of June 7. The watermelons had been left outside for sale. The men told one employee who confronted them at the Beaverton store they were removing the melons because they had black spots.
The Oregonian reports surveillance video helped investigators identify two suspects – 42-year-old William Jake Traverso of Canby and 40-year-old Brad A. Taylor of Molalla. Deputies arrested Traverso Tuesday at his parents’ home. They’re looking for Taylor.
Police believe the pair sold most of the melons to small markets to support a methamphetamine addiction. Five pallets were recovered.
- Beyond the Claim: How Social Canvassing is Transforming Insurance Fraud Detection
- California Chiropractor Sentenced to 54 Years for $150M Workers’ Comp Scheme
- EVs Head for Junkyard as Mechanic Shortage Inflates Repair Costs
- California Sees Two More Property Insurers Withdraw From Market
- Mother of 8-Year-Old ‘Violently Sucked’ into Houston Hotel Pool Files Wrongful Death Suit
- Poll: Consumers OK with AI in P/C Insurance, but Not So Much for Claims and Underwriting
- Ship Owner in Bridge Collapse Seeks to Limit Its Liability
- Report: Vehicle Complexity, Labor ‘Reshaping’ Auto Insurance and Collision Repair