01-03-2025
Portland man who stole from Milwaukie Lowe's 3 times gets 13-month sentence
PORTLAND, Ore. () — A prolific thief of home improvement stores in the greater Portland metro area was sentenced to 13 months in prison Wednesday in a Clackamas County court, authorities said.
Portland resident Manuel Kaneala Hernandez, 46, pleaded guilty to multiple theft charges from two separate cases. As part of a plea agreement, other charges were dismissed, according to the Clackamas County District Attorney's Office.
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'In May 2023, Hernandez walked out of a Lowe's store in Milwaukie with a $399.99 item and drove off in a stolen U-Haul truck,' the DA's office said in a release. 'Surveillance video helped police identify Hernandez from old booking photos which showed his distinctive tattoos on both sides and back of his neck and on the top of each hand.'
The next month, Hernandez stole a utility trailer from a Lowe's in Vancouver, officials said. He was later convicted in Clark County for being in possession of the stolen trailer as well as resisting arrest.
Then in August 2023, Hernandez stole $1000 worth of merchandise from the same Lowe's in Milwaukie, broke the rear security door and got away. He stole multiple eclectic items, including an animatronic Leatherface and other Halloween decorations, a chainsaw, a portable tabletop stove and a leaf blower.
In November of 2023, Lowe's loss prevention officers once again saw Hernandez shoplifting.
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For the Milwaukie thefts, Hernandez pled guilty to one count of first-degree theft and two counts of second-degree theft related to two separate incidents.
Hernandez had previously been convicted in Washington County and given a 24-month sentence for thefts at Home Depot and Lowe's stores and other crimes, officials said.
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