In a distressing string of events in Oakland's Uptown neighborhood, criminals have resorted to using vehicles to break into businesses, ramming them into garage doors to gain access. Surveillance videos sent to KTVU show thieves using multiple cars, crashing them into the entrances of several companies and walking away with stolen items.
Burglars ram cars into metal roll-up doors at 4 businesses along 26th near Broadway in Uptown, @AmberKTVU reports. @oaklandpoliceca investigating pic.twitter.com/dqdJY0b50T
— Henry K. Lee (@henrykleeKTVU) August 15, 2023
These shocking actions have left the owners and employees of affected businesses in disbelief, as the criminals brazenly carried out the robberies early Saturday morning at 26th Street near Broadway.
Interestingly, this is becoming a pattern in Oakland which has seen this brazen type of crime recently. Earlier in July, a group of thieves used an SUV to force open the doors of a Fruitvale Village Market, making off with a cash register and $4,000 worth of cigarettes, Hoodline reported. In this case, the thieves were also captured on surveillance video, seen wearing hoods and masks, further showcasing their lack of fear.
As for the Uptown Oakland robberies, the suspects managed to loot each business before fleeing the scene. The business owners opted not to disclose what items were stolen to KTVU. Giovanna Tanzillo, the owner of a business next to one of the affected establishments, expressed her concern for the community and future of Oakland, where crime sprees like this continue to escalate.
In an attempt to find solutions and provide support, Tanzillo plans to hold a meeting with local business owners to discuss potential steps to take in response to these criminal operations.
While the Oakland Police Department is investigating these crimes, it seems that business owners and communities will need to come together to find both short-term and long-term solutions to this unsettling trend.
