On the afternoon of April 29, a Philomath resident came home to find that someone had been in the house. Several items were stolen that in total carry an estimated value of nearly $175,000, including a rare violin that alone is worth $85,000.
Philomath Chief of Police Ken Rueben said the type of burglary that occurred at the residence is rare. On top of that, the home targeted is located in the quiet Mount Union neighborhood of Philomath.
“When you talk about burglaries, it’s usually a family member — like a son that came back and broke in — and you still call that a burglary,” Rueben said. “But a real residential burglary when a stranger breaks into somebody’s house, I think we’re averaging about one a year — maybe.”
The list of stolen items includes several other high-end violins as well as professional-grade instruments, Rueben said. Several other items were also taken, including those that hold great sentimental value to the victim.
A neighbor shared doorbell camera video of a suspicious vehicle — a red Chevrolet S10 Extreme made between 1999 and 2004 that had a dark-colored toolbox in the bed.
Investigators refrained from releasing too much information about the case. A number of details were published on social media.
For anyone with information about the Chevrolet S10 Extreme, contact Officer Mike Wulk at 541-929-6911 or michael.wulk@philomathoregon.gov.