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Label:
Press release
A retail theft mission resulted in numerous arrests and recovery of stolen merchandise.
Published
On Thursday, February 6, 2025, East Precinct officers, in collaboration with Neighborhood Response Teams from all three precincts, Multnomah County Parole & Probation, the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office, and business partners, conducted a retail theft mission in the Mall 205 and Gateway areas.
The mission resulted in 29 arrests and the recovery of more than $650 in stolen merchandise. PPB and MCSO have partnered on several missions which have resulted in hundreds of arrests and warrants served. PPB works with the Multnomah County District Attorney's Office (MCDA) Retail Theft Task Force in issuing criminal prosecutions from these missions.
Final results:
29 arrests
1 Vehicle elude
3 Stolen vehicles recovered
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.
In many cases, these individuals are involved in criminal activity that extends far beyond retail theft, including illegally possessed firearms, 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 its partners for their collaboration aimed at addressing retail theft in the Portland Metropolitan area.
###PPB###