Portland worker’s truck vanishes in broad daylight theft

PORTLAND, Ore. ( KOIN ) — For Erik Neuschwander, his truck is not just a mode of transportation but a key to his livelihood.

That’s why he’s been trying to get the word out any way he can that it was stolen in broad daylight on Tuesday.

Neuschwander is a maintenance worker for a rental company and he uses that truck, a 2021 Midnight Blue Nissan Frontier, to do his job at properties all over the city.

It started out as a normal day as he was fixing a ceiling fan at a property in Portland’s St. Johns Neighborhood. Neuschwander told KOIN 6 News someone grabbed his keys from his job site and snatched his rig right off the street.

“I didn’t really know what to think. I just got it a month ago, I was shocked,” he said. “I worked very hard for it.”

The St. Johns Neighborhood ranks #7 in car thefts across the city, according to the Portland Police Bureau. But even still, Neuschwander said he couldn’t fathom how someone dared to steal it in the middle of the day.

“They took my whole truck. They took everything. It’s not like they pickpocketed me. To me, it seems like it’s a pretty big crime.”

To the Portland Police Bureau’s credit, car thefts are down 44% from this time last year.

In fact, June of 2024 marked something of a low point in car thefts in the city. Portland police reported 382 stolen cars that month, the lowest monthly total on record since July of 2016 .

However, there was a concerning spike recently. PPB’s monthly stolen vehicle statistics show there was a 25% increase in car thefts from June to July of this year. That’s the highest rate since December of last year.

PPB said car thefts not only disrupt lives but they can lead to more serious crimes. Even still, police told KOIN 6 News that people should use the non-emergency line unless there’s a serious threat, like an armed carjacking or a child in the car.

Neuschwander said he called the non-emergency line when his car was stolen but officers never showed up. However, he did file a police report over the phone. He said he thinks an urgent situation like this should be met with a more urgent response.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if I was on hold calling 911. They’re definitely not going to answer non-emergency,” Neuschwander said. “And I’m not even saying it’s their fault, they’re just overloaded.”

Since the theft, he’s decided to take things into his own hands by using his wife’s car as a mobile billboard showing the stolen truck’s license plate number: 218 PZV.

“After 20 years of working, I finally got this truck and it was gone,” Neuschwander said.

Police recommend locking your doors and using anti-theft devices on your car.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com.