Parkrose Heights resident arrested for identity theft, forgery, and fraud

Milahdi Karboa was on parole for fraud prior to arrest, says Parkrose Heights neighbor Virginia Anderson

 

By: Sean P. Nelson

The Mid-county MEMO

 

Portland Police arrested Parkrose Heights resident Milahdi Karboa on Feb. 4 and April 3 and charged him with identity theft, forgery, and fraudulent use of a credit card, said Portland Police Bureau East Precinct Special Crimes Team Officer Jim Lawrence.

Karboa was arrested after neighbor Virginia Anderson determined there was more going on than excessive parked cars around his house.

Police seized fraudulently purchased property during the arrest April 3 and previous to that from Karboa’s house on Northeast 106th Avenue between Northeast Eugene and Thompson Streets. Lawrence said.

“The day after Karboa was arrested police had an ornate fence taken down because it was purchased with a fraudulent credit card,” said Parkrose Heights Association of Neighbors Chair Carol Williams.

In the course of their investigation police found Karboa had victimized others throughout the nation by ordering or purchasing products under an assumed name. He is currently in custody and the investigation is continuing, with Federal authorities also becoming involved Lawrence said.

Karboa was on parole for fraud prior to his arrest, said Parkrose Heights resident Virginia Anderson, who is credited as the main reason for his ultimate arrest after her exhaustive efforts to mediate a dispute between Karboa and neighbors over 19 cars being parked around his house.

Lawrence estimates current losses as the result of his alleged identity theft at $45,000 and predicts further investigation will uncover as much as $70,000 in losses.

Virginia Anderson, who lived in the house just next to Karboa, got involved when neighbors called her to complain about him.

“People called to tell me how concerned they were about 19 cars parked around his house. Police towed one of the cars and found out it was illegal,” Anderson said. Cars were parked as far as 3 blocks away from his house.

“The city and the police said it was a civil matter, not criminal. He shouldn’t be parking cars farther than three blocks away from the house. Karboa’s cars were as far as a quarter mile away,” Anderson said.

She continued to lobby the city and neighborhood officers to try to mediate the dispute. At one point neighborhood residents put signs on the parked cars saying, “If you don’t like this car parked near your house, please call Milahdi Karboa,” and listing his telephone number.

Shortly after this neighbors returned to find that someone had removed the windshield wipers of the cars. Anderson then went to the city and asked for a neighborhood mediation session with Karboa. They met at the Mormon Church at 106th and Northeast Eugene streets with City Mediator David Little—to no avail. Karboa refused to move any of the cars, Anderson said.

Shortly after this he started erecting the fence around his property which subsequent police investigation found was purchased fraudulently. Anderson credits her friend Helen Stonecypher, police, the city, and the Parkrose Heights Association of Neighbors for the efforts which led to Karboa’s arrest.

The story was the subject of a Newschannel 8 story when a reporter interviewed Stonecypher’s husband Bob Anderson.

“Neighborhood groups can really do a lot for themselves. Investigating with the police showed that Karboa had been in trouble with the law previously. “It was very upsetting to the neighbors. It did lead to finding out who’s who and getting assistance,” Anderson said.

Parkrose Heights Asso-ciation of Neighbors Chair Carol Williams praised Anderson, who at first tried without success to get something done because the cars were a nuisance.

“She wanted help from the neighborhood association. She had a feeling something was going on other than the cars, but had no proof. A lot of people would just give up and let it go, but she didn’t give up,” Williams said. Many people are admonished not to carry their social security cards in their wallets now because identity theft is so prevalent.

“I think people in our area would be very interested in knowing about this incident because identity theft is one of the biggest crimes right now,” Williams said.