City Hall Intruder Arrested in St. Paul

PHOTO: Marion County Sheriff's Department

(ST. Paul, Oregon) - A City of St. Paul worker was surprised by a sleeping intruder as she prepared to lock up City Hall last Friday evening. The City Hall building is located at 20239 Main Street NE, in St, Paul.

Lorrie Biggs was checking the exterior doors to City Hall shortly after 9:00pm last night, when she noticed the boiler room door was closed. It is normally left open to help heat the interior of the building during the weekend. As she opened the door, she was surprised to discover a male sleeping inside the room. She left the boiler room, immediately called 911 and reported the incident.

Sr. Deputy Thomas Croft responded to her call and arrived several minutes later. The suspect was not found at the scene, but was described by Biggs as being between 20-30 years old, wearing a plaid shirt and a stocking cap.

Sr. Deputy Jerry Wollenschlaeger and his canine, Yo arrived shortly after to assist in checking the interior of the building. They discovered that the door to the boiler had been pried open. The suspect was not found inside; nothing was determined missing from the building.

As Deputy Croft continued checking the area, he spotted a subject matching the description and detained him. The man was identified as Thomas Riffenburg, 24 of Salem. Riffenburg was positively identified as being the person Biggs saw in side the boiler room at City Hall.

A computer check also revealed an outstanding warrant for Riffenburg's arrest for violating the conditions of his parole on a robbery conviction.

Riffenburg was transported to the Marion County Jail where he was booked on the robbery warrant and issued a citation for Trespass II and Criminal Mischief II.

Source: Marion Co. Sheriff's Office