Eight home burglaries have been reported in the East Medford area since November 2022. In most cases, access to the homes has been gained through forced entry or a dog door. Victims of each incident have reported various personal property stolen including jewelry, cash and most recently, cars.
On March 1, MPD Detectives did identify suspects involved in two of the listed eight burglaries. The suspects entered two separate residences and stole miscellaneous items of value from inside, including jewelry, sporting equipment, and credit cards. Some of the stolen property was sold to local pawn shops and later recovered. One of the victim’s credit card was used to make a fraudulent purchase. The listed suspects were lodged at the Jackson County Jail on the following charges:
Talia Reanne Hamilton– 29 years old
Burglary 1, Theft 2, Theft by Receiving (x2)
Blake Kenneth Steger– 32 years old
Burglary 1 (x2), Theft 2, Theft by Receiving, Identity Theft
Medford Police Detectives are continuing their investigation into these burglaries. MPD cannot release specific details of ongoing investigations, but are actively working these cases. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Medford Police Department (541-770-4783).
Medford Police are asking residents to take the following steps to protect their home from burglars:
· Invest in an alarm system and assure you’re turning it on when leaving the house
· Install security cameras for both the interior and exterior of your property
· Secure all valuables (jewelry, cash, silver, and gold) in a safe
· Keep an eye out for your neighbor’s home/property
· Be on the lookout for suspicious subjects and vehicles in neighborhoods. Attempt to get license plate numbers on vehicles and report them via the non-emergency number (541-776-7206).
· DO NOT assume alarms are false
· DO NOT advertise vacation plans on social media
· DO NOT include interior pictures of your residence on social media
· DO NOT post pictures of expensive items on social media
A criminal complaint is only an accusation of a crime, and a suspect is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Source: MPD
