The city of Oakland continues to grapple with a crime wave that has shocked and stoked fear in even the most progressive California voter. The crime problem has gotten so out of control it got CNN's attention enough to send a correspondent to report on the situation.
What CNN found was terrified residents, one of whom is moving out of the city, and business owners who are struggling to deal with the violent and brazen thefts that are negatively impacting their livelihoods.
"I love Oakland. It's very hard for me and my son" to move away, Kristin Cook told CNN. "I can't take it anymore. I got to the point I was too scared to leave my house."
While murder rates are down, thefts and carjackings are up. What makes it worse is victims are often violently attacked even if they comply with the criminals' demands.
"I can't take it anymore. I was too scared to leave my house," says Kristin Cook, moving out of #Oakland
— Kyung Lah (@KyungLahCNN) August 8, 2023
"We're pretty much just sitting targets," says Laurel Ace Hardware's Troy Welch. Hear from Oakland's residents what they say is untenable crime & what the city & police say pic.twitter.com/3ZRGERKMnx
Toni Bird, a resident who plans on staying, said she hopes the security situation will improve now that enough residents are saying enough is enough. Police recommended neighborhoods have airhorns so if a crime occurs, the residents can blare the horns so people nearby can be aware of a crime happening.
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Troy Welch, owner of Laurel Ace Hardware, was recently robbed and it took the beleaguered and understaffed police department 45 minutes to respond. When asked if that was normal, Welch said that response time was actually faster than normal.
Alameda County, which Oakland is located in, has a new district attorney who believes in "restorative justice" and has gone on the record to say she does not think a district attorney has the power to bring down crime rates.
Alameda County DA Pamela Price, who is facing a recall because of high crime rates and her leniency towards criminals: "The DAs role has really no impact on crime...I feel safe" living in Oakland. pic.twitter.com/B28BY6WYZB
— Julio Rosas (@Julio_Rosas11) July 17, 2023
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