Man burglarized Portland businesses by sawing holes into walls: court docs

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A man accused of breaking into and burglarizing several Portland businesses by sawing holes into the walls of neighboring buildings was arrested on Friday.

According to court documents, the burglaries by suspect Tyler Long, 32, began in Nov. 2024 at an AT&T store in North Portland. The manager told police the burglar had gained access by picking the lock of the store next door, cut through the drywall and stole several electronics and numerous keys from the store.

The next two burglaries happened at jewelry stores, where the suspect had once again cut through the drywall and stolen thousands of dollars worth of merchandise.

Court documents add that police were able to identify Long by voice from surveillance footage of one of the burglaries on Dec. 5, 2024.

On Dec. 23, 2024, police then responded to a break-in at Capitol Nails in Southwest Portland, finding another hole cut in the wall from the vacant next-door unit, as well as electronics and hair products stolen.

Following this incident, court documents note a business in Washington County was burglarized after Long allegedly sawed through the ceiling on Jan. 8, 2025.

After police served a search warrant on Long’s home, court documents say they found several items including ammunition, several credit card skimmers, a blue bag full of burglary tools, as well as an open envelope containing the stolen keys of the burglarized AT&T store.

Long is now facing multiple charges, including first-degree burglary (7 counts), first-degree theft (2 counts), criminal mischief (4 counts), as well as aggravated identity theft (2 counts).

Court documents also state Long was most recently convicted of aggravated identity theft, felon in possession of a firearm and unlawful possession of methamphetamine. He was placed on probation 18 days before the AT&T burglary.