ROGUE RIVER, Ore. -- Three teenagers in hooded black outfits scampered over rooftops, climbed trees "just like a squirrel," and broke into houses and cars, police said.

But these ninjas in the small southern Oregon town of Rogue River weren't quite so slick as their Japanese ninja heroes.

Earlier this summer, an officer chased one of the wannabes across a school rooftop, but the youth leaped into a nearby tree, said Rogue River Police Chief Ken Lewis.

Breaking branches on the way down, "he gave a yelp of pain," and then he scrambled away, Lewis said.

Last week, after months of investigation into a group known to local police as "The Ninjas," police arrested three teens, two 15 and one 16. They said they also seized stolen jewelry, burglary tools, a map of the city and several black ninja suits with hoods and climbing spikes.

The parents of one teen told police their son complained of an injury about the time of the rooftop chase, Lewis said.

"I believe that's our roof-gliding ninja," said Lewis.

Lewis said one of the three indicated they had been active for a year and a half, and the pranks escalated from flights across rooftops and petty vandalism.

Lewis said the teenagers used a stolen credit card to buy, online, costumes and equipment such as hand-climbing spikes, metal throwing stars and utility belts.

According to police, a recent three-day investigation involved every officer from the police department. Officers are still hoping to question more teenagers in the case and they don't think all of the stolen property has been recovered.

The teens had created a MySpace page, and other teens have been posting on it about the arrests, which may lead to other suspects, Lewis said.

"It's true what they say about MySpace," said Lewis. "It's a great investigative tool."