In a city plagued by auto theft, the latest sting op by Portland's finest netted double-digit car recoveries and bagged some bad guys in the process. The multi-department hustle, which included the Portland Police East Precinct, Gresham Police, and Multnomah County Sheriff's Office, took the fight to the chop-shop squads last Thursday with a little assist from Facebook vigilantes PDX Stolen Cars. The task force, flanked by Clackamas County Sheriff's Office and Vancouver Police, put the brakes on auto thefts in various neighborhoods across Portland, according to a press release.
Under the new Portland Police Bureau pursuit policy, law enforcement's latest gambit resulted in 11 recovered vehicles from 25 stops, 10 arrests, and the confiscation of an illegal firearm. Showing stolen cars and their fast-handed drivers the red light, an impressive ratio of one stolen vehicle recovered for every two stops gave the thieves a run for their money.
Per the press release, Aaron S. Cox, 34, decided to play roundabout with the cops before pulling over and getting slapped with firearms charges. Raymond D. Kerbs, 52, was booked into the clink.
Later, an alert about a hot red 2020 Mitsubishi rocketing into Portland marked the first chase under the new rules—ending with a spike strip deflation and a spin-stop maneuver. Angel M. Rodriguez, 23, tried to dance with the law but ended up with a stack of charges, including joyriding, DUI, and a ten-pack of reckless endangerment.
