PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – The Portland Police Bureau’s Stolen Vehicle Operations team conducted a 10-hour mission in ‘deeply impacted’ neighborhoods, leading police to make 22 stops and recovering nine stolen vehicles, authorities said.
Part of the SVO team focused on the Roseway and Madison South neighborhoods from Northeast 72nd Avenue to Interstate 205 between NE Sandy Boulevard and NW Halsey Street on March 19, officials said.
The other part of the team focused on the Lents, Mt. Scott-Arleta and Brentwood Darlington neighborhoods from Northeast 72nd Ave. to I-205 between SE Foster Road to SE Clatsop St.
“This proved to be the most successful stolen vehicle ratio the team has experienced,” PPB said in a Monday press release.
In addition to the nine stolen vehicle recoveries, Sunday’s mission also resulted in seven arrests, eight citations and 11 warrants serviced — with six vehicles eluding and three suspects eluding on foot, according to PPB.
Officials added seven vehicles were towed, seven drivers did not have valid driving privileges and three vehicles were uninsured.
Over the last several months, PPB says the SVO team has conducted 18 stolen vehicle operations which in total include: 131 stolen vehicles, 207 custodies and 27 recovered guns. During the missions, 122 vehicles eluded, 135 vehicles were towed and 147 citations were issued.
‘A positive impact in reducing crime’
“What we’re finding is they’re using these stolen cars for other crimes, so they’ll drive around in a stolen car and might get involved in gun violence, they might get involved in shootings, robberies, assaults,” PPB Sgt. Kevin Allen told KOIN 6 News.
He said the East Precinct officers are “really getting quite good” at catching drivers in stolen cars. More than 100 cars have been recovered and “hundreds” of warrants served.
“It’s really making what we think is a significant impact in East Precinct, a positive impact at reducing crime and the fear of crime is really what we want,” Allen said.
PPB collaborated with OHSU scientists who are “very good at pulling out data, analyzing data, and they’ve really helped us find those features that really lead to the conclusion that a car might be stolen,” he said. “Basically, one out of every two stops is a stolen car, that really speaks to how effective this data-driven policing initiative is. And we want to keep it going.”