Oregon police recovered thousands of N95 respirators after a man allegedly stole at least 20 cases of the masks, worth nearly $2,500.

Portland Police Bureau said The Rebuilding Center, a construction and sustainability nonprofit, reported the theft on March 6 when 20 to 25 cases, each with 400 masks, were stolen.

The next day, staff at the center found the N95 respirators listed on Craigslist and being sold in nearby Beaverton. A meetup was scheduled and police were contacted. 

Vladislav V. Drozdek, 22, of Beaverton, was arrested and charged with first degree theft, and six cases of the masks were recovered.

On Saturday, police recovered seven more cases of the masks being stored inside a house. More arrests and charges are possible, police said.

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When the masks were returned, they were donated to local hospitals amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Health care workers and public health officials have reported shortages of personal protective equipment, including the N95 respirators, as more people fall ill to COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus.

N95 respirators block “at least 95 percent of very small (0.3 micron) test particles,” according to the Food and Drug Administration, and provide more protection than loose-fitting surgical masks.

“This was a good example of interagency teamwork and cooperation, along with some helpful detective work by the victim,” said Portland Police Bureau Assistant Chief of Operations Mike Frome. “This is even more significant during a time when these medical supplies are in such short supply.”

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