PORTLAND, Oregon — Dozens of people woke up to find their car windows shattered in Southeast Portland Foster-Powell neighborhood Friday morning. It happened on several streets surrounding SE 62nd Avenue and Foster Road.
“I come out — broken. Unbelievable,” said Manuel Bernal.
Bernal wrote his feelings on the plastic tarp covering his broken window calling the vandals haters, cowards and lazy.
“People are ignorant," said Bernal. "No respect for people's property."
Jake Kelly and his girlfriend woke up to find their car window smashed. They had just arrived to their new rental home after driving up from California the day before.
“We had kind of been tipped off about car jackings, car theft, vandalism being on the rise in the [Pacific Northwest], but we didn't want to lean too much into that narrative,” said Kelly. “We didn't want to like judge.”
Across the street from Kelly's car, Corine Fritz found her car window smashed just after 5 a.m. She said nothing was stolen, but she had to miss work to have the damage repaired.
“It's awful,” said Fritz. “It feels like the vandalism on our street is getting worse and worse out here… people have to be held accountable for their actions.”
Portland Police Sgt. Kevin Allen said they've taken multiple reports and expect many more to come in.
“We don't know the full scope of the problem here,” said Allen. “I would appreciate it if people would take the time to make that police report on our website because often times what happens is we can go back and connect cases.”
Allen said investigators are also asking anyone with security video of anything suspicious in the area to share it with them. He said they can send it to CrimeTips@Police.PortlandOregon.gov. Those filing police reports can also note that they have video and ask an officer to contact them.