A man is in custody at the Clackamas County Jail after allegedly breaking into a home in Happy Valley and threatening the homeowner with what police described as a “finger gun.”
Shortly after noon on Monday, Nov. 5, 2018, deputies from the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office and Happy Valley Police Department responded to a home robbery on the 12400 block of SE Verlie St. in Happy Valley. The homeowner had entered his residence and found the suspect — later identified as 30-year-old Michael Shane Belden — standing inside the house.
The suspect reportedly threatened to shoot the homeowner while fleeing the scene. However, deputies later determined that Belden didn’t have a weapon. Instead he “made it look like he had a gun by sticking his hand under his jacket to scare the homeowner and get away.”
Shortly after noon, police received word that a white male matching the suspect description was seen pacing around the area of Goddard School at 14210 SE Sunnyside Road. Deputies responded to the location. When the suspect saw the deputies exit their patrol cars, he entered a nearby dental office and stood in the lobby.
Deputies followed the suspect inside and asked him what he was doing. The suspect said he was calling a buddy to come pick him up. Deputies asked where his phone was. The suspect reportedly replied that it was in “Buddy’s car.”
Deputies photographed Michael Belden, then texted the photo to a deputy still with the homeowner. The homeowner identified Belden as the suspect.
Belden was taken into custody and deputies found a number of stolen items stashed near Goddard School. While deputies returned the stolen items, Belden admitted to being in the house and stealing the recovered items. He reportedly told deputies to tell the homeowner he was sorry.
He is currently being held in Clackamas County Jail on charges of Burglary I and Robbery II, and his bail is set at $290,000.
