Interstate thieves could be working I-84
By Terry Murry on Wednesday, December 8th, 2021 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
PENDLETON – Thefts are a regrettable part of the Christmas shopping season. Pendleton Police Chief Chuck Byram said that thefts are even higher due to people stealing to feed their addictions. He’s also facing the possibility that an organized group of thieves are hitting up commercial establishments along Interstate 84.
“Walmart has lost quite a little bit of merchandise to one individual that obviously knew what they were doing,” he said. “They were organized. It’s somebody that we don’t know, so it’s somebody from out of town.”
Byram said the theft rings are a national problem.
“It’s happening,” he said. “It’s occurring everywhere. We just have to do the best we can to investigate it once it does happen.”
Organized retail theft rings have been reported from New Jersey to California.
