‘Stolen Vehicle Patrol’ leads to arrests, chop shop

While this ‘Stolen Vehicle Operation’ in outer East Portland led to numerous arrests, astoundingly – a suspected kingpin, arrested, jailed on 51 charges — was bailed out and set free back into our community …

Earlier in May, police on a Stolen Vehicle Operation mission arrested this man in a Hazelwood neighborhood strip mall in the 10100 block of SE Glisan Street after catching himwith a stolen car. PPB images

By David F. Ashton

Before the Portland Police Bureau (PPB) put out information about their successful Stolen Vehicle Operations (SVOs) on May 24, one of the numerous suspects, 34-year-old Christopher Norwood Young – he faces 51 charges – had already bailed himself out, released from custody.

The story started on May 12, and continued on May 19, when PPB East Precinct officers partnered with the Gresham Police Department and the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office to conduct the SVOs.

In the Mill Park neighborhood, in the 2700 block of SE Stark Street, another one of the 35 suspects arrested in this SVU is arrested.

During those two days, officers made 35 arrests, served 34 warrants, recovered 31 stolen or suspected-stolen vehicles, seized 10 illegal firearms, and two illegal suppressors, commonly called gun “silencers”.
To make the best possible case against the individuals arrested during these missions, Deputy District Attorneys rode along. providing real-time guidance and advice.

“This partnership became particularly important when, during a traffic stop, the driver of a stolen vehicle attempted to elude officers,” an officer involved with the mission said. “The vehicle and driver were eventually located in the 16600 Block of Northeast Wasco Street, in Gresham.”

Here’s one of the stolen cars recovered; albeit a little worse for wear.

While officers were conducting their initial investigation, they located several other vehicles that were either stolen or suspected of being stolen.

Looking for Vehicle Identification Numbers (VIN) on the vehicles, PPB Lieutenant Norman Staples told reporters it was clear that something was amiss – that is, the VINs had been altered. Also odd, Lt. Staples said, was that some “very expensive” cars were in that location.

At this Gresham neighborhood “chop shop”, officers find several “high end” stolen vehicles.

The officers realized that they’d come upon a “chop shop” – a place where stolen vehicles are dismantled, or have their identification changed. They found stolen vehicles, tools for disassembling vehicles, and tools for replacing VIN numbers.

With the assistance of the Deputy District Attorneys present at the scene, SVO Officers served a search warrant. They recovered seven confirmed and eight suspected stolen vehicles.

Inside the location, officers seized six guns and two homemade suppressors.
Young, the fleeing driver found at the site, was arrested and booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center (MCDC) on May 20 at 2:32 a.m. on 51 charges – including 29 Felonies. Among the felonies were six counts of Felon in Possession of a Firearm, eight counts of Possession of a Stolen Vehicle, and two counts of Unlawful Possession of a Firearms Silencer.

Although Young was previously convicted for similar crimes in 2017, during his arraignment on May 22, the judge gave Young the privilege of posting a low bail amount “because he’d always appeared in court in the past”.

Young was released from custody after paying bail on May 23, and is said to be on “Pre Trial Supervision” – perhaps in your neighborhood.

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