Felons on the Run Caught After ATM Heist and Post Office Robbery Fail in Klamath Falls

KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. — Two Klamath Falls men were arrested after a night of crime in the early hours of Wednesday morning. The pair stole an ATM, which they dragged with a tow strap, but abandoned it before breaking into the Post office to steal another safe and some mail. The second safe was also abandoned.

The Klamath County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO) indicated that 36-year-old  Christopher Garrison, a convicted felon, and 37-year-old Jesse Shirtcliff, who has a warrant out for failing to appear, are both linked to at least 13 other burglaries.

On Wednesday, they used a U-Haul van in a string of crimes that started around 3:00 AM.

The pair first stole an ATM from the Fastbreak Gas Station in Keno by dragging it with a tow strap attached to the van.

The van appeared on surveillance footage at Worden Cafe, off Hwy 97S, 20 minutes later, showing Garrison and Shirtcliff exiting the van and attempting to break into the ATM. They fled when the alarm activated.

At about 3:50 AM, the van was seen at the Midland Store and Post Office, where three people broke into the Post Office, stealing a safe and bags of mail. As they tried to tow the safe away, the strap broke, and the safe was abandoned in the roadway.

KCSO investigators traced the U-Haul van back to a rental from Klamath Falls, where it was found and surveilled by Sheriff Shane Mitchell, who then led deputies to a home on Onyx Avenue, where Garrison and Shirtcliff were found and arrested. Garrison was found in possession of weapons.

Shirtcliff was wearing identical clothing from the surveillance footage, and his distinctive limp matched the one seen on the video.

Evidence at the scene, such as matching clothing, stolen cigarettes, trading cards from another burglary, and illegal firearms, linked to Wednesday’s crime and other burglaries.

Garrison faces two counts of second-degree burglary, two counts of felon in possession of a firearm, two counts of second-degree criminal mischief, one count of first-degree theft, and one count of mail theft, while Shirtcliff faces two counts of first-degree criminal mischief, two counts of second-degree burglary, one count of first-degree theft and one count of mail theft.