On the evening of March 16, William Grote, age 39 of Klamath Falls, was arrested following a coordinated multiagency traffic stop on Highway 97 near the California border.
Grote is the focus of a month’s-long investigation involving several law enforcement agencies in Clackamas, Jackson, and Klamath Counties. He is suspected in a burglary spree of cabins and homes between Fish Lake and Rocky Point; of breaking into numerous vehicles at the Boy Scout Camp located on Highway 140 near Lake of the Woods and the Summer Snow Park near Fish Lake; of the theft of over $50,000 worth of property at a location on Westside Road in Rocky Point; and of multiple commercial burglaries in Jackson County.
The Klamath County Sheriff’s Office served search warrants on a storage unit used by Grote and also on the vehicle he was operating when arrested. Numerous stolen items totaling tens of thousands of dollars have been recovered including solar panels, a log splitter, a utility trailer, a pottery kiln, golf clubs, aviation equipment, tools, and much more.
Criminal charges are pending at the discretion of the respective District Attorneys’ Offices. There are still active investigations being conducted in both Jackson and Klamath Counties. If you are a victim of theft during 2018-19 along Highway 140 between White City and Klamath Falls, to include the areas of Fish Lake, Lake of the Woods, and Rocky Point, please contact your local law enforcement agency.
The Klamath County Sheriff’s Office extends its gratitude to the following agencies who assisted in the investigation: California Highway Patrol, Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office, Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, Klamath Falls Police Department, Medford Police Department, and Oregon State Police.
Arrestee: Grote, William A.
DOB: 9-26-1979
Charges: Pending
