Medford police report string of burglaries in East Medford

MEDFORD, Ore. – After a series of home burglaries in East Medford, police are asking residents to take steps to protect their homes and belongings.

The Medford Police Department said since November 2022, there have been eight burglaries reported in East Medford. In most of the cases, homes were accessed through forced entry or a dog door.

Victims reported stolen items that included jewelry, cash, and cars. Some of the items were sold to local pawn shops and were later recovered.

On March 1, 2023, MPD detectives identified suspects in two of the eight burglaries.

They were identified as 29-year-old Talia Reanne Hamilton and 32-year-old Blake Kenneth Steger. They’re now facing charges of burglary and theft.

MPD provided the following tips to protect yourself from being the victim of a burglary:

Invest in an alarm system and assure you’re turning it on when leaving the house
Install security cameras for both the interior and exterior of your property
Secure all valuables (jewelry, cash, silver, and gold) in a safe
Keep an eye out for your neighbor’s home/property
Be on the lookout for suspicious subjects and vehicles in neighborhoods. Attempt to get license plate numbers on vehicles and report them via the non-emergency number (541-776-7206).
DO NOT assume alarms are false
DO NOT advertise vacation plans on social media
DO NOT include interior pictures of your residence on social media
DO NOT post pictures of expensive items on social media