https://www.kgw.com/article/news/crime/street-takeover-portland-car-racing-looters-steal-7-11-store/283-cc84daac-5766-427e-8b96-0bc682094498

Street takeover looters steal $10-15K worth of merchandise from Portland
7-Eleven
The owner of the 7-Eleven off Northeast Prescott and 60th Avenue said he
called Portland police, but was told they couldn't do anything.

More Videos
Author: Daisy Caballero
Published: 10:22 PM PDT July 17, 2023
Updated: 8:53 AM PDT July 18, 2023
Facebook Twitter
PORTLAND, Ore. — Street racing once again took over multiple
intersections throughout Portland on Sunday night, from the Fremont
Bridge to the Cully and Roseway neighborhoods.

People living nearby say they heard gunshots, fireworks and tires
screeching for at least two hours here at the corner of Northeast
Fremont and 72nd Avenue. On Monday morning, evidence from the street
takeovers was plainly visible: skid marks, pieces from cars and tires
scattered on the side of the road, even after a few neighbors came by to
clean up.

"I did come out to check [the takeover out] and there were about 200
people on the buildings, along the streets in about 100 vehicles
blocking off the intersection," said Chris Hansen, Chair of the Roseway
Neighborhood Association, who lives nearby. "I get that kids just want
to have fun, and I think not realizing the toll it takes on the neighbor
that I just talked to who has lung cancer, who could barely breathe
afterward because she’s just a block away. The fumes were going into her
house."

The social media application Snap Chat is an app where users can send
and share pictures or videos. The app has a map feature where users can
see what users are doing in different areas. The map feature showcased
spectators dangerously close to the fast-moving cars spinning out.

Hansen said he called Portland police but never saw their presence at
the takeover.

"It makes us feel unsafe," Hansen said. "It's aggravating. Last year,
our neighbor was beaten at this intersection [during a previous street
takeover] because he was trying to take videos of what was happening. I
think a lot of the people that come here and have a good time, but don't
realize that there is a violent element here, too."

In the past, Portland police have said due to low staffing, and the
number of people and vehicles involved, a large coordinated response
from police is required to safely break them up. But business owners
told KGW the city should have a better response to these street takeovers.

The 7-Eleven location near Northeast Prescott and 60th Avenue was looted
late Sunday night. The owner said between $10,000 to $15,000 worth of
merchandise was stolen in less than 20 minutes.

Security footage captured looters leaving with their hands full of
things like cases of beer, cigarettes and snacks after going behind the
register, despite the worker’s pleas to leave.

"They took all the beer out and ran to the other side and then they
[came] to the cash register and bothered my cashier. [One of the
looters] had a gun and said [to my cashier], 'If you stop me I will
shoot you,'" said the owner of the targeted 7-Eleven, asked to remain
anonymous for the safety of his family.

He told KGW he called Portland police and told them about the looting,
but was told they couldn’t do a thing.

"[They said,] 'I can’t help you out because there is too [big of a]
crowd outside, I can't do anything. If they [break] the vendor windows,
then I’m coming, then the cops will come,'" the owner of the 7-Eleven
told KGW, recalling the response to his call. "And I said, 'Oh, you guys
will wait for someone to kill us and then you guys will come?' And they
said, 'I’m sorry, I can’t help you,' and they hung up the phone."

The Mayor's office told KGW that Portland police are beefing up their
traffic division again, post-pandemic, and have started performing
stings at street takeovers, resulting in arrests. They are also looking
for implementation of Senate Bill 615, which increases penalties like
forfeiting a vehicle used in street takeovers and criminal penalties for
those who organize these gatherings.

Related Articles
Enforcement mission in North Portland takes bite out of street racing
problem
1 motorcycle rider dead, another arrested amid Portland street racing
mission