Short Lived Robbery Spree in Oregon Ends in Suicide

A series of armed robberies in the Albany area were apparently solved when the suspect killed himself and left evidence behind.

The Linn County Sheriff is one of the agencies involved in the reported series of armed robberies. Photo: Tim King KATU / Salem-News.com

(ALBANY, Ore.) - A series of armed robberies in Albany, Oregon appear to have ended in a strange and even tragic twist. Exactly what motivates people to commit armed robbery will remain as much as mystery as why that same person would take their own life.

This saga apparently began on June 6th, 2009, at approximately 11:11 p.m., when a masked male subject robbed the Seven Eleven convenience store located at 6190 SW Pacific Boulevard in Albany, Oregon.

Corporal Jerry Drum. a detective with Albany Police, told Salem-News.com today that the suspect entered the store armed with shotgun, demanded money from the clerk and left the scene on foot.

"A perimeter was established and a K-9 Officer from the Linn County Sheriff's Office attempted a dog track, which was unsuccessful," Drum said.

He says the suspect was reported to be a white male adult between 5' 9" and 5' 11" in height with a slender build.

Drum said nobody was injured during the robbery.

The next day, on June 7th, 2009 at 1:08 a.m., about 2 hours later, a robbery was reported at the Highway 34 Chevron service station and Mini Mart in Albany.

"The suspect matched the same description as the suspect in the Seven Eleven robbery including clothing, mask and shotgun," Drum said.

That robbery fell under the jurisdiction of the Linn County Sheriff's Office. They began their investigation with the aid of a K-9 Officer from the Albany Police Department, but the dog failed to get a track on the suspect.

The next day, on June 8th, 2009 at 1:11 a.m., Drum says a masked male subject robbed the Circle K convenience store located at 333 SE 34th Avenue, Albany, Oregon.

"The suspect entered the store armed with a shotgun, demanded money from the clerk and left the scene on foot."

But this time officers responding to the scene spottted a suspicious vehicle leaving the area, and they attempted to initiate a traffic stop.

"The vehicle did not yield and officers pursued the vehicle from Queen Avenue near Marion Street to Hwy 34 to Seven Mile Lane where the vehicle stopped."

Drum says officers found the single occupant of the vehicle deceased from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.

"Clothing and items from the robbery were visible inside the vehicle. The Linn County Sheriff's Office is assisting by investigating the suicide."

Drum says it initially appears that all three robberies were related.

He says anyone with additional information about these armed robberies is asked to contact the Albany Police Department at 541-917-7680 or the Linn County Sheriff's Office at 541-967-3911.

When asked if that means they are wrapping up the investigation, Drum said, "We're still confirming it but it appears possible. They do seem related."

It is interesting that the individual's reported crimes took place at 11:11 p.m. and 1:11 a.m. with a very close time of 1:08 a.m. in the third event. I am one of those individuals in the world who has almost an subconscious attraction to the number one when used in series.

Some people believe this is a very special situation and that people attracted to 11:11 in particular are sometimes called "lightworkers" and

As GreatDreams.com put it, "Lightworkers are people who signed up for a 'green beret' type of mission when they were on the spirit plane".

Whether we are really meant to understand this is beyond me. I have met a few people over the years who also had a special attraction to this phenomenon. Of course it is likely that it has nothing to do with the circumstances at all. It just seemed like an interesting thing to take note of.

Drum said the Linn County Sheriff's Office is responsible for releasing the man's name and they have not done so at this time. He says investigators did not as far as he knows, find any correlation between the suspect and the times he apparently chose to commit the robberies.