In recent months, stories of prominent Oakland businesses closing stores or hiring additional security personnel have made headlines.
But businesses aren’t the only ones feeling the danger of rising crime in the Bay Area.
One local Oakland restaurant owner candidly told Fox News Digital that the city he’s lived in for almost all of his 45 years is “the worst I’ve ever seen.”
Target closed its downtown Oakland store last year after police responded to more than 100 snatch thefts and similar incidents in 2023.
In-N-Out recently announced it would close its only burger joint in Oakland, the first time in its history it had to make such a decision due to rampant robberies, vandalism and armed robberies in the area.
Denny’s also closed last month due to rampant crime.
Then Blue Shield, Clorox and Oakland’s largest employer, Kaiser Permanente, responded to the city’s spike in crime by issuing warnings to employees, hiring security guards and Other measures are being taken.
Weyanti Ahmed, who runs the Wise Choice restaurant in the city’s Jack London district near the city’s waterfront, said the development shows Auckland won’t start to thrive unless it makes serious changes. says.
The area has been plagued by an increase in crime, and local locations have been forced to close or raise prices in response.
“It’s scary for business owners,” she told Fox News Digital.
“It’s scary for citizens to just walk down the street. It’s just not comfortable. You’re constantly on alert and that has a huge impact on my business.”
She described a particularly frightening incident in December when a shooting occurred near the restaurant as it was letting customers inside.
She has seven employees, but she says she no longer allows employees who don’t have their own cars to use public transportation.
“We just don’t have enough police presence in Oakland,” she said.
“Jack London is a tourist attraction, especially in our area like downtown. So they know that a lot of tourists are there, so it makes sense that a lot of crime happens there. It is.”
a woman said Local outlet KTVU Last year, the once vibrant neighborhood was turning into a “ghost town,” she said, after witnessing a car being broken into in broad daylight while walking her dog.
Another man said, “This could be a vibrant community, but it’s not right now.”
“Defund the police? That won’t work,” he said.
Ahmed said she and her fellow neighborhood business owners are doing their best to look out for each other, but there’s only so much they can do.
Without people being able to comfortably dine at her restaurant, which specializes in soul food and seafood, she has had to rely even more on delivery apps like DoorDash and Grubhub.
She also said she is considering closing her restaurant because she has lost too many diners.
“So if you go out to get dinner or lunch or something, your car gets robbed, and that $30 meal ends up costing you more than $230. ” she says.
“Will I go back? I think probably not…It’s not going to happen because the whole dining experience at Jack London is that no one is comfortable sitting down to eat.”
Oakland is the seat of Alameda County, and district attorney Pamela Price has announced measures and initiatives, including not trying juveniles as adults and seeking reduced sentences and probation for more crimes. The country has come under criticism for its progressive policies, which are seen as being soft on crime. and eliminates sentencing enhancements in special circumstances.
Oakland also currently lacks a permanent police chief, and Ahmed said he was “fed up” and disappointed with Democratic Mayor Shen Thao and the City Council.
“I feel like police officers are a little more timid,” Ahmed said.
“They’re not as aggressive as they should be. They have no authority in our city, so… we live in a lawless city. It’s really sad.”
Oakland’s problems have also drawn the attention of state leaders.
California Governor Gavin Newsom has slammed the “totally unacceptable” rise in crime, hastily added 120 California Highway Patrol troopers to Oakland and the East Bay, and this week arrested dozens of people on all sorts of charges: It was announced that an arrest had been made. From car theft to drug possession.
According to recent information, CBS news coverageAuckland crime statistics show burglary (37%), burglary (24%) and motor vehicle theft (45%) all increased by double digits year-on-year.
Mayor Tao’s office told local media that reducing crime is City Hall’s top priority, noting that it will fund an expanded police academy to train new officers and reinstate foot patrols.
Oakland is one of the bluest cities in the United States. Democrats control the city’s leadership, and in 2020, President Biden won 80% of Alameda County’s votes.
Tao and Price’s offices did not respond to requests for comment.
