Being a car owner right now in Portland isn’t great for your blood pressure. According to data provided by the Portland Police Bureau, reported car thefts for the seven months from January to July 2022 are a staggering 6,312, almost double the figures for the same period just two years ago.
Honda, Ford, and Subaru represent the top three most stolen makes in what seems to be developing into an epidemic of vanishing cars. Owners of stolen cars claim that the police — stretched extremely thin due to being pressured on multiple fronts — are unable to guarantee swift action on property theft.
A group of concerned citizens decided that simply accepting the situation was not good enough and are doing something about it using the power of social media. One specific Facebook group, “PDX Stolen Cars”, currently boasts over 10,000 members and has already helped hundreds of people get back their cherished vehicles. Founder of the group Titan Crawford was inspired to do something by an experience he had in his neighborhood. Speaking to KGW, he said, “I had found a stolen car in my neighborhood. I knew it was stolen. I contacted the police, and they said there’s not a whole lot we can do right now. So I was like, ‘Well, see if I can do something’.”
Also Read: These Are The 10 Top Most Stolen Vehicles In Each State
After starting the group, Crawford says that it attracted hundreds of members within a very short amount of time, reflecting just how bad the problem is right now. The members of the group keep their eyes and ears open, cross referencing posted VINs and descriptions against suspicious vehicles they come across, thereby ensuring that stolen cars get a lot more attention directed their way than would otherwise be the case.
One owner who benefited from the group was Paul Regan, whose prized 1981 Chevy Camaro was stolen in May. He immediately reported it to the police, who told him his best hope would be to post it on Crawford’s Facebook page. He reportedly took their advice, and about a month later, his car was spotted on North Midway Avenue, near a property that had gained a reputation for being a chop shop. Fortunately, he was able to recover the Camaro intact and credits the group for their assistance.
It certainly seems like a difference is being made; of the 6,312 vehicles reported stolen so far this year, police data reports that 91 percent have been recovered, which can definitely be considered good news.