Portland Police Bureau
04/19/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 04/19/2024 15:39
Joint Retail Theft Mission Results in Numerous Arrests, 1 Driver Elude, Capture in Washington (Photo)
April 19, 2024 14:23
A Portland Police retail theft mission out of East Precinct this week resulted in the recovery of thousands of dollars in stolen merchandise and numerous arrests.
On Wednesday, April 17, 2024, East Precinct officers and the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office (MCSO) teamed up with business partners to conduct a retail theft mission in the Mall 205 and Gateway areas. The mission resulted in the recovery of nearly $3,000 in stolen merchandise. PPB and MCSO have partnered on several missions which have resulted in hundreds of arrests and warrants served. PPB works in collaboration with the Multnomah County District Attorney's Office (MCDA) Retail Theft Task Force to present the cases in court for criminal prosecution.
Final results of the mission are still being calculated, but initial unconfirmed tallies indicate that 24 people were arrested. Two faced felony charges, 20 faced misdemeanor charges, and 4 were served with criminal citations that require an appearance in court next month. Also, six felony and nine misdemeanor warrants were serviced. Nearly $3000 in stolen merchandise was recovered (see details below). A stolen vehicle was also recovered.
Officers initiated 13 vehicle stops. One of the stops resulted in a suspect attempting to elude police into Washington State. Two mission officers observed a suspicious person in the parking lot of Mall 205 standing by a 2014 Honda Civic. The man jumped into the car and sped away from the officers, committing numerous traffic violations and failing to yield to the police vehicle's emergency lights. The officers pursued the driver onto northbound I-205, but the suspect drove at reckless speeds estimated to exceed 100 miles per hour. Officers terminated the pursuit as he drove over the bridge into Vancouver. Officers relayed information to the Vancouver Police Department. VPD officers located the 40-year-old suspect and later arrested him. He is expected to face additional charges in Multnomah County related to the elude and reckless driving (case 24-95089). The assistance of the Portland Police Air Support Unit was critical in this arrest.
Retail theft is often more than just shoplifting items for personal use. Many suspects are involved in organized theft rings, which steal items that can easily be sold for cash on the secondary market or returned to stores for a "refund." Returning or attempting to return stolen property, no matter the value, is a class-C felony ( https://oregon.public.law/statutes/ors_164.055 ).
In many cases, these individuals are involved in criminal activity that extends far beyond retail theft, including illegally possessed guns, drug possession and distribution, vehicle theft, and more. Additionally, disrupting theft preserves the viability of retail businesses that serve the Portland community. Therefore, these missions go a long way in improving livability across the area. Mission commanders analyze theft and other crime data to focus their missions on the neighborhoods most impacted by these crimes, which are often large retail shopping complexes. PPB recognizes that smaller local businesses are also impacted by retail theft and it's our belief and goal that arresting and holding prolific thieves accountable will help reduce these crimes for the entire business community.
PPB is grateful to our partners at MCSO and MCDA Retail Theft Task Force for their collaboration aimed at addressing retail theft in the Portland Metropolitan area.
To learn more, join us for a video ride-along on one of PPB's recent retail theft missions here: https://youtu.be/XF08DVNQjpQ
Retail Theft - Total Recovered Stolen Items Value: $2924.62
$189, Home Depot - Mall 205, Case Number: 24-16875
$39.90, Home Depot - Mall 205, Case Number: 24-94671
$336, Home Depot - Mall 205, Case Number: 24-94703
$564.90 Home Depot Total
$230.47, Fred Meyer - Gateway Plaza, Case Number: 24-16964
$12.46, Fred Meyer - Gateway Plaza, Case Number: 24-16874 MCSO/ PPB 24-94729
$70, Fred Meyer - Gateway Plaza, Case Number: 24-94675
$223.98, Fred Meyer - Gateway Plaza, Case Number: 24-94912
$536.91 Fred Meyer Total
$30, Target - Mall 205, Case Number: 24-94780
$316.36, Target - Mall 205, Case Number: 24-94897
$307.25, Target - Mall 205, Case Number: 24-94756
$212.63, Target - Mall 205, Case Number: 24-94685
$38.00, Target - Mall 205, Case Number: 24-95033
$904.24 Target Total
$753.48, Kohl's - Gateway Plaza, Case Number: 24-16898 MCSO
$753.48 Kohl's Total
$18, Safeway 122/Powell, Case Number: 24-16952
$8.48, Safeway 122/Powell, Case Number: 24-16897
$26.48 Safeway Total
$138.61, Other, Case Number: 24-94931
$138.61 Other Total
Photo descriptions:
A bicycle officer searches a suspect, in handcuffs
MCSO and Portland vehicles with police lights flashing parked in front of a Safeway
Two Trailblazers ballcaps held up in front of Target
Roll call at East Precinct with PPB and MCSO
A suspect sits on the bumper of a police vehicle as a police officer looks on
A suspect in handcuffs in front of Fred Meyer with recovered stolen items on the hood of a police vehicle, including hair dye, jewelry, and fashion items
A suspect in handcuffs seated on a curb in front of an MCSO vehicle
A suspect being arrested in front of Target
A theft suspect in handcuffs being escorted by officers.
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