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Portland Car Thefts Surge Again

Last year set a 25-year record for car theft in Portland, with just over 9,000 vehicles stolen. This year is on track to be significantly worse.

LOCK AND CHAIN: Cars parked on the Central Eastside. (Sam Gehrke)
By Lucas Manfield

After three months of declines, car theft is back on the rise in Portland.

July saw 867 vehicles stolen, 36 more than the previous month, according to a Portland Police Bureau dashboard that was updated last week.

Last year set a 25-year record for car theft in Portland, with just over 9,000 vehicles stolen. This year is on track to be significantly worse. More than 6,000 vehicles have been stolen in the first seven months of 2022 alone.

The Police Bureau hasn’t had an auto theft unit since 2006. The bureau did not immediately return a request for comment, but in a video posted to social media last week it noted a spike in Hyundai and Kia thefts after how-to USB hot-wiring videos went viral on TikTok.

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