Longview police remove 1,000+ abandoned vehicles in 6 months

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – In an ongoing effort to address community complaints about abandoned vehicles, the Longview Police Department announced Wednesday that officers have removed more than 1,000 abandoned vehicles from roadways since September. 

The police department said it has addressed 1,016 reports of abandoned vehicles. These reports came from both concerned citizens and from police officers who noticed the vehicles while on patrol. 

Police worked with local tow truck companies to impound hundreds of cars. In most cases, police said owners have an opportunity to remove their vehicles from the street before they are impounded. 

Investigators said they have a new system in place that helps them track each report of an abandoned vehicle that’s been moved, so they know if it ends up back on the street and officers can address repeat offenders.  

It also helps them know if vehicles are dumped in another part of town instead of taken care of properly. 

In September 2022, the Longview Police Department said it had a massive backlog of abandoned vehicle reports and couldn’t keep up with the number of new reports coming in. A patrol sergeant came up with a new way to address and track the complaints. 

The responsibility falls primarily on community services officers who are civilian staff members who take police reports for property crimes that are no longer in progress. 

Anyone concerned about an abandoned vehicle on their street can report it online. 

The Washington State Department of Licensing also has more information online about abandoned vehicles. 

The DOL reminds people that they cannot sell a vehicle that has been abandoned on their property. People must contact a registered tow truck company to have it removed.