Man Who Stole WA Rig Wakes Boy, Asks for Help

Jan. 24—An Albany family woke up to an unwelcome guest in their home — the suspect in a Vancouver, Washington vehicle theft case.

Authorities say the 33-year-old Vancouver man stole a rescue truck from that city's fire department, then ditched it after driving to Albany.

Alex Joseph Doupe was initially arrested Jan. 16 on misdemeanor charges of unlawful vehicle use, interfering with a firefighter and first-degree criminal trespass. Court records show the trespassing charge has been replaced with a count of felony first-degree burglary.

The rescue truck that was stolen while Vancouver Fire Department was responding to a call at a homeless camp, according to a probable cause affidavit filed with the Linn County Circuit Court. Court documents put the value of the stolen rescue truck at $50,000 or more.

A Linn County deputy sergeant reportedly found the abandoned truck the morning of Jan. 16 on Columbus Street, near the intersection with Old Highway 34. The truck was apparently undamaged and no equipment was stolen, according to a new release from the Linn County Sheriff's Office.

A few hours after the rescue truck was recovered, the Sheriff's Office was alerted to a strange man, who turned out to be Doupe, sleeping in a family's living room in the 33000 block of Columbus Street Southeast, near where the truck was abandoned, according to authorities.

When a deputy arrived, Doupe identified himself but was hesitant to say where he came from or where he was living, according to the probable cause affidavit.

Doupe admitted to taking the truck from Vancouver and driving it to Albany, the affidavit alleges, saying "they wanted me to" but wouldn't say who "they" were. He declined to speak further, according to the affidavit.

A second 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.

Doupe was held at the Linn County Jail on a $50,000 security, according to court records. The state filed notice that it's seeking an enhanced sentence based on "greater than typical" loss or harm for such an offense and Doupe being on probation or post-prison supervision for a similar offense.

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