PPB – Montavilla News

Over the last four months, the Portland Police Bureau (PPB) has spent several days focused on retail theft at Mall 205 and the Gateway area. Conducted in partnership with the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO), the crime reduction program concentrates efforts on a small geographic area that has seen a substantial rise in theft. The PPB statistics from the three Retail Theft Missions demonstrate the daily burden of crime experienced by these retailers.

On March 5th, 2023, PPB and MCSO officers made their third attempt to significantly reduce criminal activity at these Interstate 205 adjacent retail centers. This past Sunday, 34 people were taken into custody and served 28 warrants. Police recovered seven stolen vehicles actively driven in the area. Officers also recovered over $3,000 worth of stolen merchandise. In February and December 2022, program operators saw similar daily results from these police operations.

Although presented as an effective retail theft sting that together netted 138 arrests and the recovery of almost $14,000 of reportedly stolen merchandise, it also shows a steady level of crime in the area. The data presented is insufficient to draw credible conclusions about the program’s efficacy, but the numbers show consistent theft.

If the Retail Theft Mission continues in this area, the numbers may diminish as miscreants see this as a policed area. However, the numbers indicate this has yet to occur, and theft remains steady. Even if these efforts are effective in the Mall 205 and the Gateway areas, retail theft crime will likely shift to another commercial corridor unless additional diversion tactics reduce the overall occurrence of this type of crime.

PPB provided Retail Theft Mission numbers

March 5th, 2023 (Single Day Mission)
– 34 arrests
– 28 warrants serviced
– 7 stolen vehicles recovered
– $3,006.32 in recovered stolen merchandise

February 6th, 2023 (Single Day Mission)
– 40 arrests
– 60 warrants serviced
– $2,237 in recovered stolen merchandise

December 17th and 18th (Two-Day Mission)
– 64 arrests
– 70 warrants serviced
– 10 stolen vehicles recovered
– 3 firearms recovered (2 stolen)
– $8,743 in recovered stolen merchandise

Jacob Loeb

Last night at 11:17 p.m., Portland Police officers from the East Precinct responded to a crash near SE Division Street and SE 92nd Avenue. At the scene, they found a 47-year-old bicycle rider with life-threatening injuries. The car’s uninjured driver cooperated with the investigation. This collision is one of the first serious injuries sustained on SE Division Street since the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) completed the Outer Division Safety Project.

During the investigation, Portland Police officers closed the eastbound lanes of SE Division Street between SE 92nd Avenue and SE 94th Avenue. Westbound lanes remained open. All of SE Division Street is currently open to traffic again, with only police tape and burnt flares indicating that anything happened at this intersection. The initial investigation determined that the automobile driver, operating a 2003 Toyota Camry, was traveling eastbound on SE Division Street and collided with the bicyclist riding southbound on SE 92nd Avenue.

Preliminary reports indicate that the bicyclist may have disregarded traffic signals at the intersection before crossing SE Division Street. However, the Police Bureau’s Major Crash Team (MCT) considers weather-related visibility a possible factor. The bicyclist remains in the hospital with life-threatening injuries. Portland Police will continue the investigation.

If anyone has information about this crash, please contact crimetips@police.portlandoregon.gov, attention Traffic Investigations Unit, and reference case number 22-289329.

Police tape on pavement "POLICE LINE DO NOT CROSS"

Jacob Loeb

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