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24-year-old transient charged; at least 8 victims; police want to hear from others

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- A 24-year-old Bend transient has been arrested on theft and ID theft charges, accused of stealing from several unlocked lockers in the Mazama Gym locker room at Central Oregon Community College and later making fraudulent purchases, police said.

COCC Campus Public Safety was made aware of thefts at the gym’s locker room between October and December, police Lt. Juli McConkey said Wednesday. They reported the crimes to the Bend Police college resource officer, who conducted an investigation.

Police and campus public safety determined there were eight reported victims, all COCC students or employees, whose property was stolen while they were using the gym. All of the thefts were from unlocked lockers, McConkey said.

Investigators determined Tyler Travarus Sanders, who is not a student, had been going into the gym locker room and stealing money, property an credit card numbers to later make fraudulent purchases, McConkey said.

Sanders was located Friday in downtown Bend and arrested without incident.

He was arrested on initial charges of second-degree theft, aggravated identity theft and fraudulent use of a credit card, with more charges likely to follow, the lieutenant said.

Anyone who used the Mazama Gym and locker room in the last several months who has had unauthorized charges on their accounts, or is missing any property after using the facility, is asked to call Deschutes County dispatchers at 541-693-6911 and ask to speak to a Bend police officer.

Court records show the filed an initial charge Tuesday of only fraudulent use of a credit card, a Class A misdemeanor.

Sanders was arraigned on that and a probation violation charge Tuesday and released from jail later in the day after posting 10 percent of $5,000 bail, pending a plea hearing next Tuesday.

Deschutes County court records show Sanders was arrested in November 2018 on charges of harassment, second-degree disorderly conduct and third-degree criminal mischief, all misdemeanors. He pleaded guilty to harassment in January 2019 and the other two charges were dismissed. He was sentenced to nine days in jail and 18 months probation.