PORTLAND, Ore. — People who live on Hayden Island say the homeless crisis and crime seem to be getting out of hand. They feel crime is rampant and, according to statistics, they're right.
Portland Police Bureau data show crime on Hayden Island is the worst it's been in the last five years. Property crimes like theft, burglary and larceny make up the vast majority.
"I don't feel safe," a resident named Judi told KGW. "It didn't used to be like this."
Oftentimes, Hayden Island residents say they see stolen kayaks and boats pulled up next to two abandoned military vessels and an encampment along Jantzen Beach.
"The beach guys prowl around the marinas but they don't steal cars," said resident Howard Johnson. "That's where you've got to define what you're looking at and who might be doing it."
Police say it’s not just the transient population committing crime; opportunists steal and vandalize and they often get away with it.
Interstate 5 running through the island makes it a prime target; people coming from the south in Oregon or the north in Washington are able to quickly hop on and off the island to commit crimes there or escape being caught.
Residents see cars without license plates all over the neighborhood and believe they're stolen and brought to the area to be stripped.
John Seaman is one of many hit by thieves and has security camera videos of people stealing from his porch in the middle of the night. He said he knows others have had items stolen in the middle of the day.
Judi and her family had to track down her son's car after someone stole it from a parking lot. She said after retrieving it alongside Portland police officers, the thieves returned the following day to try stealing it again. Their other cars have been broken into multiple times, with catalytic converters stolen and windows smashed.
"At least once a week you'll see a pile of glass and somebody's window has been shattered. Or their catalytic converter is gone," Judi added.
People also say they constantly see shoplifting at Jantzen Beach stores; Johnson and Seaman say people walk into the Target there and walk out with armloads of items.
"They can go into any of the stores around here, pick up whatever they want and go out and employees can't do anything. And they know that! So they do it," Judi said.
The Portland Police Bureau said it doesn't have enough officers to prevent crime everywhere in the city. They struggle to keep up with priority emergency calls for service as it is and often do not respond to property crime reports in time, if at all.
Neighbors are growing increasingly frustrated and losing hope the city will do much to help.
"They're angry because it should be a safe community and they're frustrated because there's not a lot we can do about it," said Seaman.
So six homeowners associations took their own action, including Seaman's and Johnson's.
Not only have many properties installed more lights and security cameras, but people living in them take turns driving around at night and patrolling the streets. They formed a neighborhood watch and are nonviolent.
"[We] become aware of different things that are suspicious. Not that we intervene, but we’re there and communicate with each other," Seaman added. "It helps to have eyes on the people who are suspicious."
They hope more neighborhood groups get on board to come up with a security plan for all of Hayden Island.
"The key would be to be able to intimidate people trying to come in at night," Johnson said. "At this point in time we just can't count on the police but I would not want to give up on the island. Not by a long shot."