Police arrest suspects in vehicle prowl cases

Two Vancouver residents were arrested Monday in connection with numerous vehicle prowls that had recently taken place in Camas.

According to a press release from the Camas Police Department, on Dec. 22 law enforcement units responded to a call of a vehicle prowl in progress. Responding officers located the suspect vehicle and stopped it. The occupants were identified as Joshua L. Huggins, 35, and Destiny L. Ortiz, 25, both of Vancouver.

Investigators were able to link Huggins and Ortiz to numerous vehicle prowls that occurred in the Camas area over the past few weeks. Huggins and Ortiz were arrested and search warrants were obtained for their vehicle and residence.

CPD Sgt. Scot Boyles said police have so far connected Huggins and Ortiz to 19 car prowl cases in Camas, mostly in residential neighborhoods including the Prune Hill area.

“The majority of the items were things that people would leave in a car: small electronics, tools, clothing, computers,” Boyles said. “If they had the opportunity to take a credit card, they did.”

More than 200 items of evidence were recovered.

The investigation revealed Huggins and Ortiz were entering vehicles and stealing valuables from inside, including credit cards. They then used the stolen cards to make major purchases at businesses within the Portland Metro area.

Huggins and Ortiz were booked into the Clark County Jail on charges including second degree identity theft, second degree vehicle prowl, third degree possession of stolen property, residential burglary and unlawful possession of a firearm.

Boyles said citizens should not to leave valuables in their vehicles.

“We want to use this opportunity to tell people to not leave valuables in their car,” he said. “Make sure your car is parked in the garage, if you have one. And even if your car is parked in the garage, still don’t leave your wallet or purse inside.”