You Portland Folks are Bad A**

[Sharon Herman]

Campers tie alleged peeping Tom to tree
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

PORTLAND, Ore. -- A group of campers tied a peeping Tom suspect to a tree, keeping him bound until police arrived.

Richard H. Berkey, 63, was charged with private indecency, a misdemeanor, by sheriff's deputies who were called to the Big Fan Campground near Bagby Hot Springs last weekend, according to Clackamas County Detective Jim Strovink.

Campers told deputies they recognized Berkey from a similar incident at the campground last year and wanted to make sure he didn't get away.

The 2006 incident was reported to police but did not result in charges.

"Last year, we took down his license plate number and turned it in to the sheriff, but there wasn't a lot they could do really," said Jason Dugan, one of the campers. "This year, that wasn't happening."

Dugan and another camper, Michelle Brandow, said several friends were playing chess, eating and relaxing last Saturday, when they heard rustling in an area the women used as an open latrine. Dugan went to investigate, saw a man running from the area and tackled him.

With help from two other campers, Dugan led Berkey to the group's campsite and tied him to a tree. Another camper left to call police.

Berkey told KGW-TV in Portland he was surprised by the response. "I just didn't think it was that big of a deal," he said. A phone call to Berkey's house in Beaverton was not immediately returned Friday.

Berkey is scheduled to appear in court on Sept. 18.

[Byron Kinnaman]

I believe that Big Fan Creek is a decomissioned campground and managed as dispersed camping. The lesson here is to avoid dispersed camping.

[Connie M.]

Or perhaps the lesson is to always be aware.

Our favorite places to camp are often out in the boonies, or some odd little place. The creeps can be anywhere, and probably with about the same percentage per population.
Some folks are drawn up here to Alaska by an end-of-the-road mentality. Most of them are wonderful people, and a few are whack-os. But I think the percentage is about the same as in a large city...
Now, having said that, I definitely think there are some camping/parking spots that make you feel like a sitting duck.

[Sharon Herman]

Berkey told KGW-TV in Portland he was surprised by the response. "I just didn't think it was that big of a deal," he said.

You gotta love his audacity...

[Donna D.]

He's lucky all they did was tie him to a tree since this is the SECOND time he's been caught doing the exact same thing. He's a dedicated CREEP. They found a bunch of maps of different campgrounds in his vehicle. And he's admitted to doing this for 15 years! The really sad part, is he's only going to be charged with a misdemeanor, which is a slap on the hand. He probably won't even get court-mandated counseling.

[pjanits]

Women using an open latrine?

I never thought I would hear that. Not in my house anyway, no way!