PORTLAND, Ore. — A Southeast Portland arcade was burglarized in broad daylight Monday morning, in which one of the suspected burglars pointed a gun at one of the arcade owners to get away after the owner started ramming his truck into their vehicle.
This all happened in a residential area and was caught on camera by attentive neighbors.
“I don’t believe these were amateur thieves. These guys knew what they were doing,” said Logan Bowden, the COO of Quarterworld, located on Southeast Hawthorne Street.
On Monday just before 10:30 a.m., Bowden got an alert from their security system that someone has entered their lounge. They are typically closed on Monday.
“We have cameras, so I checked the cameras, and that’s when I noticed two guys running through with flashlights,” Bowden said.
Police were on scene before Bowden got there.
“The response time of the police officers was amazing. By the time I got there, it was like nine cop cars and everything; I was like, ''Whoa!'” Bowden said.
Arcade security footage showed more than one suspect. They got away with some cash; Bowden would not tell KGW how much but reiterated the impact something like that has on small businesses.
“We have employees that depend on us for their livelihood, and we’re just doing our best to provide employment,” he said.
Shortly after police left the scene, Bowden noticed the suspects had not gone far.
“I exit the building and I look to my left and they’re standing over there,” Bowden said of a nearby sidewalk. Their getaway car was parked on a residential stretch of Southeast Madison Street behind the arcade and right by Bowden’s truck.
“So, I just throw it in reverse and start ramming the crap out of them,” Bowden said.
After backing into their vehicle several times, one of the suspects pulled out a gun and pointed at Bowden before ultimately driving off.
“I saw a round cylinder and some knuckles, and I thought, 'That’s probably a gun,'” Bowden said.
“Neighbors said, ‘He has a gun!’ I ducked back in the house,” recalled a woman who lives nearby but wanted to remain anonymous. “Guns are scary, as we all know… My neighbors here are very observant; many people came out.”
The next morning, Bowden showed a KGW crew how his truck made out: There were a few dents and scratches, and the bumper was broken on one side. It appeared to be the least of his worries, seeing as the real damage was not seen but felt.
“Hopefully, these guys get caught and hopefully what went down yesterday makes them think twice about going to other small businesses. You know, it’s sad,” Bowden said.
Those at the arcade have dealt with theft before. However, this was the first time they experienced a break into this level.
The suspects have not been caught yet, and Portland police are still investigating. They are asking anyone with information to email crimetips@police.portlandoregon.gov and reference case number 24-176253.