A Florida family is vowing to bring their son home from Oakland, California, after he was robbed in broad daylight on the way to drop him off at college.
Romelle Crossman flew to California with her family on Saturday to enroll in classes at Lincoln University’s KTVU. report.
Crossman, a football player from Coconut Creek, Fla., said in a social media post in February that he was “very excited” to have committed to play defensive tackle at a Bay Area college. postThe dream faded into obscurity when all of the family’s belongings were stolen in just 15 minutes.
The family had just parked their rented Nissan Rogue just a block from campus and had just enough time to pick up food from a nearby Jamaican restaurant when the SUV’s windows were smashed and its belongings stolen.
Among the items stolen was $3,000 in cash and several important documents.
“Three passports, a Social Security card, our son’s high school diploma and $3,000 in a bag that her husband had placed under the seat were stolen,” Crossman’s mother, Nerissa Murray Watson, told the outlet.
Witnesses told the family they had seen masked men driving a vehicle without license plates in the area around the time of the robbery.
“It’s really strange because I had no idea something like this happened in America,” said Murray Watson, who called 911 but was told to go to the police station to file a report.
“To me it’s lawless because I called the police three times and they said they can’t come,” the mother added.
A sleep apnea machine was also stolen from the vehicle.
“Now, instead of feeling rested, she wakes up feeling like her heart is pounding,” said Crossman’s aunt, Coren Leslie Green.
After such a horrible experience on what was supposed to be a fun and rewarding trip, the family says they plan to withdraw Crossman from Lincoln University.
“I have to get my son back to Florida because it’s not safe here,” Murray Watson said.
California’s Democratic governor, Gavin Newsom, has boasted about Oakland’s low crime rate.
Oakland Police Department data A 33% decrease in crime was reported compared to the same period in 2023.
“These results are a clear and tangible example of the effective partnership between state, local and federal law enforcement in Oakland and the surrounding East Bay,” Governor Newsom said in his June 11 address. statement“We will continue to make our community safer by reducing crime and encouraging personal accountability to ensure the safety and security of Oaklanders.”
