Big thief steals toy from little boy – and is arrested

Here’s why a grown man is in jail: Stealing a ‘hover board’ from a kid in the Lents neighborhood …

Police converge on a car full of youthful thugs – one of them still with a handgun that he used to rob a boy of his toy.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton

Reportedly on his way to Lents Boys & Girls Club on SE Harold Street, just east of the I-205 freeway at about 5:30 p.m. on May 17, a 13-year-old boy was riding a “hover board” electrically-powered skateboard.

Unexpectedly he was confronted by a 6’ 1” man with gun in hand, who demanded it.

The child quickly gave up his prized possession, with a mixture of anger and tears in his eyes, witnesses said.

Portland Police Bureau (PPB) East Precinct officers got right on the case.

“Several officers arrived in the area and spotted the suspect vehicle being driven near SE 97th Avenue and Holgate Boulevard,” recounted PPB Public Information Officer Sgt. Pete Simpson.

Portland Police Robbery Division detectives come to this part of outer East Portland to conduct an investigation of an armed hover board robbery.

Officers conducted a high-risk traffic stop of the driver and four occupants, because they suspected one of the suspects had a handgun, Simpson said.

“All five occupants were detained, and officers did locate a firearm inside the vehicle,” reported Simpson.

Robbery detectives arrived, and determined that 20-year-old Kwaleam Pinkly was the suspect who robbed the child – at gunpoint – of the hover board.

Instead of skating away with a hover board, 20-year-old Kwaleam Pinkly picked up felony charges leading to more than $1 million in combined bail. MCDC booking photo

Pinkly was booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center (MCDC) at 11:59 p.m. that evening. He was arraigned following next day in Multnomah County Court, on two counts of Robbery in the First Degree, two counts of Robbery in the Second Degree, and two counts of Unlawful Use of Weapon.

Pinkly remains lodged at MDCS in lieu of $1,007,500 bail while he awaits trial.

By the way, the stolen hover board was also located, recovered, and returned to the young victim.

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