Door-to-door pest control salesman arrested for theft, trespassing in Junction City

JUNCTION CITY, Ore. — The Junction City Police are reporting of the arrest of a door-to-door pest control salesman who was stealing packages and trespassing on private property throughout the town on Friday.

According to a release from the JCPD, at about 8:13 PM alert citizens in the N/W area of Junction City reported a suspicious male subject had taken off running when challenged by local residents. The subject ran into fields to the west of the homes to escape identification.

Multiple officers responded and ultimately located the subject approximately four blocks east of the area of the original sighting. Subsequent investigation revealed the subject had not only trespassed on private property but had also stolen at least one item delivered to an area-home from Amazon.

Further research found the subject had unlawfully entered the backyard of a Harrisburg residence and attempted to break into several utility-type landscape storage sheds earlier in the day.

The subject, identified as 27-year old Andrew Michael Anthony Everton of Beaverton, stated he was employed by Croach Pest Control as a door to door salesman and was wearing a uniform shirt, jacket, and hat bearing the Croach Company logo.

Everton was accompanied by two other individuals; one was a co-worker who was cooperative and for which the police had no probable cause to believe, nor evidence to indicate, he was involved in any unlawful activity. The second individual identified himself as the area manager for Croach Pest Control. Immediately upon making contact with investigating officers the area manager indicated he was aware of the unlawful activity for which Everton had been involved. When questioned, the manager stated one of his prospective customers had shown him a video of Everton’s activities.

The manager remained uncooperative and belligerent throughout the duration of the investigative contact and was overheard multiple times making comments to Everton, the other salesman, and unidentified people on the phone that he was now going to lose many sales as a result of this incident.

Everton was arrested on one count of Criminal Trespass II for the incident in Harrisburg and was cited and released by the Linn County Sheriff’s Office. Everton was arrested for Criminal Trespass II, Theft III, and Carrying a Concealed Weapon and was lodged at the Lane County Jail for the incidents in Junction City.

Through the investigation it was learned these individuals had been previously in Lebanon. They had been in the Junction City area for the past four days and were in Harrisburg, and Junction City throughout the day on Friday. They stated they were intending to canvas the Eugene area on Saturday June, 6th. Investigators believe it is likely Everton has committed other crimes that have yet to be detected and/or reported.