PORTLAND, Mine. Frustrated business owners are urging city and county leaders to do more to combat the rising property crime in Portland, and they have plenty of suggestions for where to start.
“There are so many ‘professional criminals’ who are out there raiding workplaces and wreaking havoc, we really need to catch these people and prosecute them,” said Sarah Shaoul, business coach and founder of the company. advocacy group Bricks Need Mortar.
Property crimes, including vandalism and theft, increased by 16% in the first 10 months of 2022. Some business owners in Portland are calling for council action.
(Photos courtesy of Bison Coffeehouse, Portland Police Bureau, and Rains PDX)
PORTLAND BUSINESS OWNERS FACE ‘EIGN OR LEFT’ DURING THE HOLIDAYS, AFTER PANDEMIC AND riots, as crime increases
Property crime in Portland rose 16% between January and October this year compared to the same period in 2021, according to data from the Portland Police Bureau.
Shaoul acknowledged the lack of public defenders in Multnomah County, which has resulted in hundreds of cases being dropped. But he said he was fed up with “opportunistic criminals” who blatantly destroy and steal businesses.
“If someone has had their vehicle recorded on camera going into a job more than a dozen times, I think it’s time we did something about it,” he said.
Katherine Sealy, owner of Event Cosmetics, said entrepreneurs are fighting a hard battle to stay in business amid the pandemic, riots, rising crime and the ever-present homeless crisis.
“Safety is a priority for everyone,” he said. “And I think a lot of the surrounding areas… still feel unsafe to come downtown.”
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While Portland’s historic social justice protests have given the city an anti-police reputation, Sealy, Shaoul and other business owners and residents have said they would like to see more law enforcement officers around.
“We want to see more police presence to protect our small storefront business,” Shaoul said. “And we want to see the police come to these searches and these intrusions in a timely manner.”
Police response times have reached levels not seen in at least a decade. According to PPB data, The average high priority call takes more than 20 minutes for a response in October. Medium priority callers waited an average of more than 51 minutes in the same month.
Many factors can affect response times, including gradually increasing travel time, number of calls, and staffing levels, according to PPB.
“If the police aren’t available, I think the city should look to other resources to help,” Shaoul said. “More than a year ago, we made a recommendation that we have patrols that light up buildings.”
Shaoul suggested that the city use other departments for such patrols, such as the Portland Bureau of Transportation, which handles street maintenance, parking inspection, and other services.
“Let’s get them outside with big lights next to their cars and have them drive around,” he said. “Many are just preventative. You know, just keep an eye on these businesses and prevent them from being hacked again and again.”
Boarded-up windows remain a common sight in Portland nearly three years after the start of the coronavirus pandemic.
(Hannah Ray Lambert/Fox News Digital)
A clothing store closed permanently this year after its 15th theft, and posted on its door the note: “Our city is in danger. Small businesses (and large) cannot do business in our city’s current state. Protection or recourse against criminal behavior that goes unpunished.”
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Sealy said he’s seen many of his business owner friends “close their doors forever,” and he hopes that more won’t have to do the same in the new year.
“I think the city needs to partner with us to do this to make sure it’s not a one-sided effort,” Sealy said. Said.
Click here to see the interview with Shaoul and Sealy.
