PORTLAND, OR (KPTV) -
A court-ordered work crew was performing community service in Washington Park on Wednesday when someone broke into their Multnomah County transport van and ripped them off.
It happened at the Portland Rose Garden between 8:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.
The crew of roughly eight people was helping the gardeners prune rose bushes with their county van parked close by.
But somehow, a thief broke the van's lock and stole several backpacks, iPods, money and bank cards.
Justin Love was trying to fulfill his community service requirements when his entire backpack was stolen, including his house keys, iPod and cash that he was going to use to finally pay off his court fines.
Love admits he has made mistakes recently, but he feels that no one on his work crew deserved this.
"Everyone's like, 'We thought we were criminals and here's one breaking into this van,'" said Love. "A lot of us there are just trying to get everything free and clear with the county by doing our part, and someone has to go and insult us by doing that."
Portland police took a report about the thefts but no suspects have been identified.
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