Police say the man behind ballot box torches in Oregon and Washington has a background in metalworking and may be planning more attacks

PORTLAND, Ore. — Investigators say the man suspected of setting fire to ballot boxes in Oregon and Washington states is an accomplished metal worker and may be planning more attacks.

Portland Police Bureau spokesman Mike Banner said Wednesday that authorities believe the man who planted incendiary devices near ballot boxes in Portland and nearby Vancouver, Wash., had “extensive experience” in metal fabrication and welding.

The suspect is described as a white male in his 30s to 40s with balding or very short hair.

Earlier, police said surveillance video showed the man driving a black or dark-colored 2001-2004 Volvo S-60. The vehicle did not have a front license plate, but had a rear license plate with unknown letters or numbers.

THIS IS BREAKING NEWS. A previous AP story is below.

Incendiary devices were found at the scene the ballot box is lit Portland, Ore., and nearby Vancouver, Wash., each marked this week with a “Free the Gaza” message, according to a law enforcement official.

A third device, placed in another box in Vancouver earlier this month, also said “Free Palestine” in addition to “Free Gaza,” said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the current deal. investigation.

Investigators are establishing the identity and motives of the crime the suspects came under firewhich hundreds of ballots were destroyed at one location in Vancouver on Monday when a crate’s fire suppression system failed to operate properly. Authorities are trying to determine whether the person who left the devices actually had pro-Palestinian views or used the message to try to cause confusion, the official said.

According to Portland Police Bureau spokesman Mike Banner, surveillance footage showed a Volvo pulling up to a dumpster in Portland just before nearby security officers discovered the fire in the pit.

A fire that broke out in a unloading box in Portland early this morning was quickly extinguished thanks to the extinguishing system inside the box, as well as a security guard who was nearby, police said. Only three ballots inside were damaged.

The ballot box in Vancouver that burned also had a fire suppression system inside, but it was unable to prevent hundreds of ballots from burning, said Greg Kimsey, longtime auditor of Clark County, Wash., which includes Vancouver. Kimsey said Tuesday that the exact number of ballots destroyed was unknown, and that about 475 damaged ballots had been removed from the ballot box.

On Wednesday, election officials planned to sort through the damaged ballots to get information about who threw them in, in the hope that those voters can get replacement ballots. Kimsey urged voters who dropped off their ballots in a transit box between 11 a.m. Saturday and early Monday to contact his office to get a replacement.

Authorities said at a news conference in Portland on Monday that enough incendiary material was recovered to show the two fires were connected — and that they were linked to an incendiary device on Oct. 8 at another ballot box in Vancouver . No ballots were damaged in this incident.

Voters in Washington are urged to check the status of their ballots at www.votewa.gov to track the return status. If the returned ballot is not marked “received,” voters can print another ballot or visit their local elections office for a replacement, the secretary of state’s office said.

___

This was reported by Durkin Reacher from Washington.