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OREGON CITY, Or. -- Clackamas County law enforcement agencies periodically conduct retail theft missions targeting shoplifters who steal from local businesses.
On Jan. 23, 2025, the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office, in partnership the Milwaukie and Oregon City police departments and the Oregon Department of Justice, arrested 18 people for theft during a one-day investigation, said Clackamas County District Attorney John Wentworth: 
“My office vigorously prosecutes retail theft cases referred to us,” Wentworth said. “I will continue to update you regularly on how my office deals with cases arising from these on-going retail theft missions.”
It takes time for criminal cases to work their way through the judicial process. Here’s the status of those arrested in January as of May 27:
- Convictions: 6
- Cases pending trial or awaiting charges: 5
- Defendants who failed to appear in court: 4
- Cases not charged: 3
The arrestees were charged with Theft in the Second Degree (value of items taken was $100 or more but less than $1,000) or Theft in the Third Degree (value of items taken was less than $100.)
Theft in the Second Degree is a Class A misdemeanor with a penalty of up to 364 days in jail and a $6,250 fine. Theft in the Third Degree is a Class C misdemeanor with a penalty of up to 30 days in jail and a $1,250 fine.
In addition, three people were charged with Forgery in the First Degree for attempting to pass counterfeit $100 bills. These three individuals are awaiting trial or a resolution of their cases.
Here are a few of the defendants arrested during the January retail theft mission:
- Laurence Nightingale, 41, was convicted of Theft in the Second Degree and sentenced to 10 days in jail for stealing $332.66 in merchandise from Burlington Coat Factory. Nightingale was arrested on Dec. 29, 2024, for stealing a $109.99 Lego set from Macy’s in Clackamas County and was sentenced to two days in jail on Jan. 9.
- Alexander Skye Holden, 22, was convicted of Theft in the Second Degree and sentenced to 30 days in jail on Feb. 19 for stealing $390.91 in goods from TJ Maxx.
- Trent Xavier Heath, 30, was convicted of Theft in the Second Degree and sentenced to 30 days and 18 months of bench probation on Feb. 24. Heath stole $206.12 in merchandise from Burlington Coat Factory.
The retail theft missions are funded, in part, by the Organized Retail Theft (ORT) Grant Program, created by Oregon Senate Bill 900 (2023) and administered by the Oregon Criminal Justice Commission. The Clackamas County Sheriff's Office was awarded $686,000 for FY2024-25, which helps fund staffing and equipment for law enforcement missions and other efforts to combat organized retail theft and hold those offenders accountable.