Police: Burglars take advantage of deaths to steal

FOREST GROVE, Ore. - Police in Forest Grove said crooks burglarized a home because they knew it was empty after the owner died in a murder-suicide incident.

The suspects reportedly took a car and $4,000 worth of belongings from the home, and police and neighbors said they are upset that the victim’s family, already hurt in a tragedy, has to endure even more grief.

On Nov. 27 the owner of the house, Cindy England, and her son were shot and killed by her husband, Steven England, who then killed himself.

Police allege Baldemar Daniels-Torres and another man robbed the home. Some of the items (besides the car) police said they took were a big-screen TV and a chain saw.

Capt. Aaron Ashbaugh of the Forest Grove Police Department said the burglars “were very brazen [and] spent some time there. Not only did they break into the house and steal things, they actually ate food while they were in there.”

He said they “even [took] a nap while they were in there.”

Steve Blakely, who lives across the street, said he saw people walk out with things, but he said he thought it was the family of Cindy England.

Police said the suspected burglar wasn’t smart enough not to drive around Forest Grove in the victim’s car. A patrolman caught Daniels-Torres on Saturday.

Two other men in the car were arrested and released. Detectives won’t release a name of the second suspect but said they are close to catching him. They said they hope to be able to return all the items to the victim’s family.