Eugene burglary suspects arrested.

Byline: Rebecca Nolan The Register-Guard

They crept in during the early-morning hours, through unlocked windows and doors, as people slept soundly in their beds.

They stole portable, high-value items - purses, wallets, laptop computers and other electronics - before slipping out again, undetected.

They favored upscale neighborhoods, such as the Ferry Street Bridge area and southeast Eugene.

Now police believe they know the identity of the thieves, who they say are responsible for dozens of home and car burglaries from June to September. And because of the teamwork of three Eugene police officers, the suspects now face multiple felony charges for their alleged crimes.

Police on Wednesday said Randall Wayne Smith, 23, and Darren James Davenport, 22 - Springfield roommates - perpetrated "the majority" of the 94 burglaries reported in the Ferry Street Bridge neighborhood this summer.

Officer Rick Lowe arrested Smith on Sept. 27 after finding stolen property in Smith's car during a traffic stop. Among the items police said they discovered in the red Ford Mustang: the personal handgun of a Eugene police officer, stolen Sept. 19 during a daytime home burglary.

Working with officers Darwin Terry and Shawn Trotter, Lowe arrested Davenport on Oct. 3. As a result of the arrest, officers recovered the service weapon of a Lane County sheriff's deputy. It had been reported stolen from his garage July 29.

Police believe that a third man may be involved in the crimes. He remains under investigation, Lowe said.

Lowe described Smith and Davenport as "every-nighters."

"Just like you go to work every day, these two went to work every night," he said. "These guys literally stole so much they were forgetting who they sold it to."

Police said the men usually struck between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m. when it was still dark out, although sometimes they hit during daylight hours.

They typically entered homes through unlocked doors and windows, and sometimes stole automatic garage door openers from cars parked outside and entered through the garage, police said.

It appears they sold the stolen goods on the street, Lowe said.

Police said they got their first big break on Sept. 20, when a woman reported prowlers in the backyard of her home near Pool Road and Sand Avenue, where Country Club Road meets Willagillespie Road. Officers found fresh footprints in her yard, and police dogs tracked the prowlers' scent through the neighborhood.

"I personally walked through 10 different yards with fresh footprints," Lowe said.

Ultimately, officers arrested Smith and an unidentified man and charged them with trespassing. A week later, Smith was arrested again for running a red light. That's when officers say they found the stolen goods in his car.

Smith has been in the Lane County Jail since that night. He's being held on a probation violation and on allegations of being a felon in possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of a firearm and multiple counts of felony burglary.

Davenport was jailed after his arrest Monday. He was released the next day, but faces felony burglary charges as well as failing to register as a sex offender.

Police are still investigating. In time they hope to reunite some of the stolen property with its owners.

Lowe credited the arrests to the officers' teamwork and communication.

The three officers all patrol the Ferry Street Bridge neighborhood, but each on different shifts. They exchanged information about the burglaries as they passed in the halls.

The suspects tended to look for easy targets: homes with open windows and doors, or unlocked cars with valuables inside, police said. Lowe warned residents to keep doors and windows locked.