The Columbian | Serving Clark County, Washington

A Vancouver man is one of two who were arrested late Tuesday night on suspicion of robbing a Gresham, Ore., man at gunpoint, in his driveway.

James E. Ballard, 27, of Vancouver was being held at the Multnomah County detention center Wednesday on suspicion of first-degree robbery, with bail set at $250,000, according to a bulletin from the Gresham Police Department.

Also being held in the same alleged robbery was 20-year-old Christopher Jamal Thomas of Fairview, Ore.

The robbery was reported at 9:10 p.m. Tuesday when the victim said two men robbed him of his wallet and ran off. Another resident reported seeing a small white car driving with its headlights turned off, the bulletin said.

Next, the victim learned from his credit-card provider that his card had just been used at a nearby McDonalds and Safeway gas station next door. Within minutes, officers viewed the gas station security video and saw a white car, described as an Acura by the attendant, with five males inside.

At 10:30 p.m., a Troutdale officer found a similar car parked at a nearby apartment complex, with drinks from McDonalds left inside. Officers watched near the car and, about 20 minutes later, saw five males return to the car and detained them.

The robbery victim and his wife identified Ballard and Thomas as the alleged robbers, the bulletin said. Officers were investigating whether the other three people they detained were involved in the robbery.

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