PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — With the announcement of new task forces focused on auto and retail theft in the city, Portland business owners say the move is a step in the right direction.
Ragan VanSise, owner of Ragan’s Boutique, says she’s had to deal with all sorts of crime since opening her store more than five years ago.
Last September, Vansise arrived at her store to find the front door smashed. She later saw her surveillance cameras capture a man milling around the store shortly after the break-in and says someone took denim, jewelry and handbags.
However, she’s optimistic for the future with the creation of these task forces, which were announced Monday.
“I’m hopeful, it gives me hope. I’ve been open five-and-a-half years and the crime has gotten worse and worse and worse. Nothing is being done. At least they’re going to do something or at least try,” VanSise said.
She says several small businesses have closed in the area recently.
“They’re very frustrated. That’s why they’re closing,” she said. “It’s frustrating.”
However, with a lack of public defenders in Multnomah County, it’s uncertain if these arrests will lead to successful prosecutions.
“The crisis of not having enough public defenders has hit us hard, it hits us particularly hard in these C felonies, property crime cases,” Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt said. “The key ingredient of having a DDA focus full time on this is we can focus on individuals who are the most prolific.”
Schmidt said he was concerned that some of these cases involving car theft could be dropped.
“We have seen stolen cars run into having no public defender and those cases are ultimately dropped,” he said.
Despite the issues still in play, VanSise hopes this is the start of things getting better for business owners.
“I can’t tell you how many days I felt like giving up and this has been a dream of mine for a long time,” she said.