An upsetting car sign posted on Reddit is gaining traction for its simple plea: "Please don't steal my car."
User the_short_canadian created a thread in the Portland, Oregon subreddit, which features a picture of a sign hanging in the passenger window of a black car they came across. It reads:
"PLEASE DON’T STEAL MY CAR. I AM 20 YEARS OLD AND I BOUGHT THIS CAR ON MY OWN AND IT MEANS THE WORLD TO ME. I AM POOR."
"This makes me sad," the Reddit user titled the thread, which has over 1,500 upvotes as of Tuesday (March 22). For the subreddit's size, that's pretty impressive.
Nearly 180 comments were left on the thread, mainly discussing how car theft leaves victims helpless and heartbroken.
"S*** like this is why I have absolutely zero sympathy for car thieves," the highest-rated comment reads. "Doesn't matter how bad you need the money for drugs/booze, rent, food, etc. That car you're stealing might belong to someone who's barely making ends meet, and it's only way to get to work, and now they're gonna lose their job and end up on the streets just so you can get some quick cash. There's absolutely no way that's even remotely justifiable."
"I had my car stolen in Gresham in a pretty quiet, gated condo complex while we were really, really struggling financially," another user wrote. "It broke my f*****g heart."
It's no secret that Portland has been grappling with a sharp uptick in vehicle thefts over the last few years, leaving residents fearful and victims frustrated. Data from the Portland Police Bureau found over 8,000 vehicle thefts were reported in 2021 alone, a 36% increase over the same time period in 2020.
Even though authorities understand there's a rampant car theft issue in the city, their resources are focused on urgent issues like shootings and homicides.
"While having a car stolen is incredibly disruptive to their lives, it doesn't fall under a life safety issue," Sgt. Kevin Allen told KGW in October 2021.
For resources on how to prevent your vehicle from being stolen, click here.