Multnomah County Sheriff deputies arrested two men Saturday night after tracking them down using an iPhone application.
Lt. Mary Lindstrand said the case started around 4:30 p.m. when Lilli Gordon made a quick stop at Roster Rock State Park.
On the phone Sunday afternoon, Gordon told FOX 12 she had been babysitting her aunt's child for five days. To kill time before heading to the airport, Gordon said she, her mom and aunt all stopped at the park to take in its views.
"It was beautiful," Gordon said who lives in California.
Gordon said the parking lot was busy with people walking around.
"There were people all around," Gordon said. "We felt very safe."
Since the family was headed to the airport, Gordon said their car was full of personal belongings including their luggage.
"We covered up our belongings with blankets," Gordon said.
Inside the car, Gordon said was her iPhone, MAC Book Pro, and other expensive items.
Deputies said while the family was away from the car, Nicholas Barnard and Lonnie Rogers broke into the vehicle and stole the valuables including the iPhone.
"My mom and I were sobbing," Gordon said.
Gordon said she thought her stuff was gone. Deputies told her the chances of them recovering the items were low. At the airport, Gordon and her mom tried to get on another flight to California. It's then, Gordon said, she remembered that she had installed an app on her cell phone that allows the user to track the phone's location.
From the airport, Gordon called her father in California who logged onto his computer and started looking at the location of the phone. Lowell Gordon said he saw the phone had been at his sister-in-laws house which he expected. However, he said he grew suspicious when he noticed the computer said the phone was in North Portland.
Lindstrand said deputies along with two Portland police officers went to the home in the 3900-block of North Kiska Street. There, police were allowed to search a vehicle in the driveway where some of Lilli's stuff was found.
"The iPhone was still missing," Lindstrand and said.
Deputies were given the log-in information by Lowell Gordon and a short time later, he noticed the phone was "moving." He called deputies and they went to the phone's location near North Lombard and North Chicago in Portland. The deputy looking at the G-P-S tracking information on his mobile computer in the squad car was able to direct a third deputy to a specific spot at that intersection, Lindstrand said. The deputy at the intersection met up with three adult males who were sitting underneath a tree. The deputy speaking to the three men requested the deputy tracking the phone to "send an alert" and the stolen iPhone rang in one of the male's pocket, Lindstrand said.
Deputies arrested Barnard and Rogers.
Both are expected to be in court on Tuesday afternoon. Deputies want to use this incident as a reminder to everyone traveling over the holiday weekend, never leave any valuable in a car.
Lt. Mary Lindstrand said the case started around 4:30 p.m. when Lilli Gordon made a quick stop at Roster Rock State Park.
On the phone Sunday afternoon, Gordon told FOX 12 she had been babysitting her aunt's child for five days. To kill time before heading to the airport, Gordon said she, her mom and aunt all stopped at the park to take in its views.
"It was beautiful," Gordon said who lives in California.
Gordon said the parking lot was busy with people walking around.
"There were people all around," Gordon said. "We felt very safe."
Since the family was headed to the airport, Gordon said their car was full of personal belongings including their luggage.
"We covered up our belongings with blankets," Gordon said.
Inside the car, Gordon said was her iPhone, MAC Book Pro, and other expensive items.
Deputies said while the family was away from the car, Nicholas Barnard and Lonnie Rogers broke into the vehicle and stole the valuables including the iPhone.
"My mom and I were sobbing," Gordon said.
Gordon said she thought her stuff was gone. Deputies told her the chances of them recovering the items were low. At the airport, Gordon and her mom tried to get on another flight to California. It's then, Gordon said, she remembered that she had installed an app on her cell phone that allows the user to track the phone's location.
From the airport, Gordon called her father in California who logged onto his computer and started looking at the location of the phone. Lowell Gordon said he saw the phone had been at his sister-in-laws house which he expected. However, he said he grew suspicious when he noticed the computer said the phone was in North Portland.
Lindstrand said deputies along with two Portland police officers went to the home in the 3900-block of North Kiska Street. There, police were allowed to search a vehicle in the driveway where some of Lilli's stuff was found.
"The iPhone was still missing," Lindstrand and said.
Deputies were given the log-in information by Lowell Gordon and a short time later, he noticed the phone was "moving." He called deputies and they went to the phone's location near North Lombard and North Chicago in Portland. The deputy looking at the G-P-S tracking information on his mobile computer in the squad car was able to direct a third deputy to a specific spot at that intersection, Lindstrand said. The deputy at the intersection met up with three adult males who were sitting underneath a tree. The deputy speaking to the three men requested the deputy tracking the phone to "send an alert" and the stolen iPhone rang in one of the male's pocket, Lindstrand said.
Deputies arrested Barnard and Rogers.
Both are expected to be in court on Tuesday afternoon. Deputies want to use this incident as a reminder to everyone traveling over the holiday weekend, never leave any valuable in a car.