Effort leads to recovery of firearms and fentanyl

VANCOUVER – On Friday (March 22), the Vancouver Police Department conducted their SW Washington Stolen Vehicle Operation (SVO).  This operation ran concurrently with multiple law enforcement agencies in the Portland metro area who ran their own SVO missions. 

The results of the SW Washington SVO included the recovery of two occupied stolen vehicles and multiple arrests. 

The operation started with an occupied stolen Jeep Cherokee.  The subject was arrested from the Jeep and found to be wanted on another stolen vehicle case out of the Clark County Sheriff’s Office. Concurrently, a Honda eluded the Portland SVO officers northbound into Vancouver.  Vancouver officers located the Honda and took the driver into custody.  The driver was found to be violating an active No Contact Domestic Violence Order with the passenger of the Honda.  The subject in the stolen Jeep and the driver of the Honda were booked into the Clark County Jail.

In another incident, a van eluded Portland SVO officers into Vancouver.  Vancouver SVO officers located the van as it drove recklessly at various points throughout the city. The occupants were contacted after they ran from the van.  The driver was wanted on a parole violation out of Oregon and was booked into the Clark County Jail for Eluding Police.

During the operation, Vancouver SVO officers also located a subject wanted on firearms charges and driving a stolen Mercedes.  The Mercedes attempted to elude law enforcement southbound across the Glenn Jackson Bridge.  Portland SVO officers conducted an intervention technique, disabling the Mercedes. The fugitive was taken into custody after a foot pursuit.  The fugitive will be extradited to Clark County on the Clark County felony warrants with new charges added in Multnomah County from his criminal actions in Oregon. 

Toward the conclusion of the operation, Vancouver SVO officers located another vehicle that eluded the Portland SVO.  The vehicle was stopped, and the occupants detained.  Two firearms and fentanyl powder were located, this case is still being investigated.

The Vancouver Police Department will continue to conduct future SVO’s in an effort to reduce vehicle thefts and the crimes associated with stolen vehicles. 

Information provided by the Vancouver Police Department.