Cody Mann
Albany Democrat-Herald, Ore.
(TNS)
Jul. 14—A man who stole a fire department rescue truck in Vancouver earlier this year and abandoned it in Albany was sentenced to time in prison.
Alex Joseph Doupe, 33, was arrested in January by Linn County Sheriff’s deputies after an Albany family woke up to find him in their home.
Charged with felony counts of unauthorized vehicle use and first-degree burglary as well as misdemeanor interfering with a firefighter/emergency medical provider, Doupe pleaded no contest to the felony charges on July 5 and was sentenced to two years in prison and a month in jail, according to court records.
Doupe was also ordered to pay $4,587 in restitution to the Vancouver Fire Department, and his driver’s license was suspended for a year.
The rescue truck was stolen while the Vancouver Fire Department was responding to a call at a homeless camp, according to a probable cause affidavit. Court documents put the value of the truck at $50,000 or more.
A Linn County deputy sergeant found the abandoned truck the morning of Jan. 16 in the 33000 block of Columbus Street Southeast, near where the truck was abandoned. It was apparently undamaged, and no equipment was stolen, according to a news release from the Linn County Sheriff’s Office.
When a deputy arrived, Doupe identified himself but was hesitant to say where he came from or where he was living, according to the affidavit. Court records do not list a recent city of residence for Doupe.
Doupe admitted to taking the truck from Vancouver and driving it to Albany, the affidavit states, saying “they wanted me to” but not saying who “they” were.
Another probable cause affidavit says a woman at the Columbus Street home found Doupe in her living room with her son. As the deputy entered the home, he saw the woman’s husband and son standing in the living room, pointing to Doupe covered in a blanket, the affidavit states.
“He wasn’t sure what was going on or where he was at,” the deputy wrote in the affidavit, noting Doupe was aware the residence was not his. Security camera footage from the residence showed Doupe arriving at the home at around 12:39 a.m., the affidavit states.
Another deputy interviewed the son, whose age was not disclosed, who said he was sleeping on the couch and was woken up at around 8 a.m. by Doupe “patting him,” according to the affidavit, which states Doupe asked the son for help and told him he drove a fire truck.
Cody Mann covers public safety and justice in Linn and Benton counties. He can be contacted at 541-812-6113 or Cody.Mann@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter via @News_Mann_.
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