PORTLAND Hours. (KPTV) – On Wednesday, Portland law enforcement leaders hosted a press conference around the topic of election security.

A suspect provoked hundreds of burning ballots Monday in Vancouver and install a “device” at another ballot box in Portland that same morning.

Investigators warned the suspect could strike again between now and Election Day.

“Investigators believe it is very possible that the suspect intends to continue these targeted attacks in the area,” Portland Police Bureau spokesman Mike Benner said.

Another ballot box fire earlier this month in Clark County was also linked to the same suspect but did not cause any damage to the ballots, according to police.

On Wednesday, police released a description of the suspect as a man in his 30s to 40s who is bald or has very short hair and a thin to medium build with a thin face.

He is probably an expert in metalworking and/or welding. He was seen driving a dark colored 2001-2004 Volvo S60.

Clark County and Multnomah County officials said they are increasing security at the polls from now until election day. The FBI is also investigating.

PPB Chief Bob Day said he feels confident in PPB’s preparation for Election Day. And he said that people are allowed to exercise their First Amendment rights and to organize peacefully, but that any kind of violence or criminal activity will not be tolerated.

“Everybody’s talking about Portland, everybody’s looking at Portland still, to this day, four years later,” Day said. “Everyone wants to know how we will appear, how we will be. I think this is our time, and it’s represented by the great people around this room.”

Day said PPB is ready to make arrests and has coordinated with the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office to ensure there will be free space in the jails.

No threats have been identified, PPB said it is working with many local, state and federal agencies to keep the community updated and safe as Election Day approaches.

“I don’t lie awake at night worrying about next week. Will there be an event? It could be. But we’re ready for it,” Day said.

Days after the incident, some voters told FOX 12 they feel safer using ballot-less methods.

Kelly Guild, who lives in Forest Heights, visited the polls from the side of the Multnomah County Library in northwest Portland, an option she now considers safer.

“I like it because it’s not a box, it’s a building, so I feel like it’s a little bit safer,” Guild said. “I couldn’t believe someone would do that, everyone has the right to vote, no matter who you vote for, and it’s like he’s doing this, just to burn someone’s ballot?”

Sean Haggerty of Northeast Portland opted to put his ballot in the slot in the Multnomah County Elections building over the box across the street.

“I felt a little safer coming here to the polling place than some kind of stand-alone box that doesn’t look like it could be visited as well,” Haggerty said. “It’s such a shame… it shakes you up, doesn’t it? Now you have to be worried and concerned about the safety of your vote if you really want your vote to be counted and counted.”

Tim Scott, director of elections for Multnomah County, showed FOX 12 around the election office Wednesday where people were already busy opening and counting ballots.

He said he has not personally witnessed any difference in the number of people using the ballot box to withdraw their vote following the incidents, and the number of ballots is increasing across all voting methods as election day is approaching.

“We haven’t seen a real difference, people are still using the ballot submission sites, we’ve taken a lot of ballots from the sites today so people are clearly using them,” Scott said . “Yesterday we got almost 30,000 ballots back in the mail so we are starting to see an increase in turnout, I think voters are ready to turn in their ballots and I would encourage everyone to do so as soon as possible. “

He said his office’s security teams have doubled their patrols at polling places around the county, in addition to Portland police surveillance.

“Obviously, we take security seriously in every election, not just this election and not just in presidential years, we have a plan that we’ve developed with the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office that’s a great plan, we’ve made some improvements to this,” he said. “Monday really showed us that our security plan worked … it’s very important to me that people know that we have a plan and it’s a good plan and we’re going to continue to take this election forward as we’re required to by law. .”

Voters have until 20:00 on election day to display their postal ballots or drop them off at one of many teaching locations around the county.

PPB also asked for the public’s help in locating the suspect and the car involved.

The suspect is described by PPB as a white male in his 30s to 40s with balding or very short hair and a thin to medium build. He was apparently wearing a dark shirt and was very knowledgeable in metal fabrication and welding.

The suspect car is most likely a 2001 to 2004 Volvo S60 with a duller color than the usual gloss finish in places, a tan or light gray interior, an aftermarket grill with a missing Volvo badge, dark wheels, trim unpainted bodies. , and no front license plate.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Meredith Hopper at [email protected] or call the PF&R Fire Investigation Unit tip line at 503-823-FIRE (3473) and reference case number 24- 276181. Anonymous tips can be submitted through Crime Stoppers of Oregon.

Crime Stoppers of Oregon is offering cash rewards of up to $2,500 for information, reported to Crime Stoppers, that leads to the arrest of any unsolved crime, and informants remain anonymous.

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