PORTLAND, Ore. — Reported car thefts in Portland have been cut in half over the last year, as police have stepped up their targeted efforts to recover stolen vehicles and arrest suspected thieves.
Particularly since 2023, the Portland Police Bureau has taken to amassing officers from multiple agencies for one-day "stolen vehicle operations." The latest happened Monday, involving PPB's East Precinct, Gresham police, Port of Portland police, the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office, an auto theft detail from the county district attorney's office, and PPB's K9 unit.
At the same time, Vancouver police conducted its own car theft crackdown, working with Portland-area agencies to help catch suspected car thieves who tried to escape across the river.
The mission resulted in the recovery of seven stolen vehicles and seven guns, including one gun that had been reported stolen. Four drivers tried to escape, two of which resulted in a police pursuit and three of which ended in capture. Police arrested 15 people in total during the mission.
PPB credited the Facebook group PDX Stolen Cars with helping to find and recover two stolen vehicles that were unoccupied.
According to the agency, officers found one stolen vehicle for every six traffic stops during the mission. PPB said that "data-driven policing strategies" helped them achieve that ratio, but it does represent a significant drop from results the agency reported in October, when about half of all stopped vehicles were found to be stolen.
Car theft reports have been on a long and gradual decline. In January 2023, PPB's data shows 984 reported car thefts. In January of this year there were 437 — a decrease of 56%.
"There are a lot of factors that go into crime trends, but enforcement efforts driven by data analysis, efficient use of limited resources, and interagency partnerships have been key factors in the reduction in car thefts in Portland," the agency said in a statement. "Car thefts are extremely impactful for victims, especially those who rely on their vehicles for their livelihoods. Stolen vehicles are often used by suspects in other crimes including robberies and shootings. Interdicting those occupied stolen cars can prevent other crimes."