Portland car thefts soar as volunteers and victims band together to track down missing vehicles
Founder Titan Cawford's group has amassed nearly 12,000 volunteers
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Portland car theft victims are banding together to take on the crime crisis by volunteering to help reunite people with their stolen vehicles.
"I started a Facebook group called PDX Stolen Cars and it took wings of its own from there just through word-of-mouth," volunteer organizer Titan Crawford said on Monday's "Fox & Friends."
Crawford, who told Steve Doocy he founded PDX Stolen Cars after using social media to find a stolen vehicle's rightful owner, said the effort has experienced unprecedented success, garnering nearly 12,000 members.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}TIKTOK CAR THEFT CHALLENGE: CHICAGO AREA SEES 767% INCREASE IN HYUNDAI, KIA THEFTS
With a force outnumbering Portland's law enforcement, the group can step up to help out while the police focus on other issues.
Over 8,000 vehicles were stolen between January and September, according to the city of Portland's webpage, creating a dilemma too large for the police to resolve without help.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}TIKTOK CAR THEFT CHALLENGE: LA POLICE SEE 85% INCREASE IN HYUNDAI, KIA THEFTS SINCE 2021
Portland Police Department patrol vehicle. (Portland Police Department)
"Property theft is a little bit lower scaled out here right now. Our goal is volunteers to help locate stolen vehicles and reunite them with the owners and get the police contacted to also go and assist, and they've been very helpful in doing that," he said.
Crawford said safety remains the group's top priority and, in instances where the vehicle thief is still inside the stolen car, volunteers should contact the police.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}THESE POLICE DEPARTMENTS ARE SEEING SOME OF THE WORST STAFFING SHORTAGES IN THE US AHEAD OF 2023
"If it's occupied, we're able to reach out directly to police and, typically, we'll get a pretty fast response, and hopefully, the bad guy will get picked up."
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The group helps car theft victims by finding anywhere between two and 12 stolen vehicles daily, according to Crawford's estimate.
Viewers can learn more about Crawford's organization by visiting pdxstolencars.org.