Yacolt man accused of helping steal $50,000 of tools

A Yacolt man is accused of helping another man steal more than $50,000 in tools from a Salmon Creek apartment construction site.

Leonard D. Langdon, 54, made an in-custody first appearance Monday in Clark County Superior Court. Judge David Gregerson set bail at $10,000, and an arraignment was scheduled for Dec. 20.

The Clark County Sheriff’s Office began investigating reports that burglars hit a construction site at 13414 N.E. 23rd Ave. on at least two occasions this year, according to an affidavit of probable cause. The apartments, just south of Legacy Salmon Creek Medical Center, have been under construction for several years.

One of two suspects appeared in surveillance images released to media Oct. 30. Numerous people quickly contacted the sheriff’s office to identify the man as Casey L. Pipkin, 35, the affidavit said.

A previous booking photo of Pipkin appeared to closely match the appearance of the man in the surveillance images, according to the affidavit.

Deputies arrested Pipkin on Nov. 4. He pleaded guilty Nov. 27 to second-degree burglary, first-degree theft and first-degree criminal trespass and was sentenced to four months in jail, court records show.

Pipkin admitted to being a part of two burglaries that included thefts of construction equipment and car charging stations, according to the affidavit. Pipkin also said that he had an accomplice for one of the incidents but declined to identify him, the affidavit said.

Pipkin said he owed the accomplice money but refused to say why, according to the affidavit. After reviewing additional surveillance images, detectives identified Langdon as the second suspect.