Across the country, car thefts are up over 30 percent. When you get down to certain cities, you can see what’s driving that national trend. Take Oakland, California. CBS Bay Area reports that over 10,000 cars have been stolen in the city in 2023 alone.
Oakland police say that 10,547 cars have been stolen in the city this year. Worse yet, that number is up 51 percent compared to the same time last year. Cars are being stolen at a rate of about 40 per day according to authorities. While some residents knew it was bad but didn’t know it was that bad, others aren’t surprised at all. Like Oakland resident Eugene Kopman who recently had his car stolen while he was at a baseball game.
While the number is pretty staggering, I wish I could say that I was truly surprised or am truly surprised for that matter because of the lack of leadership in Oakland city government and the lack of accountability. My car was parked at the Coliseum BART. I took my son to a baseball game last Sunday and I came back — the car was gone.
Another resident, Yasmin Cabrer, was in tears outside the police station as she reported her 2001 Chevy Suburban was stolen on September 24. Cabrer collected bottles and cans to recycle, saving up $3,000 to buy it. (That SUV means) a lot because that car — I buy it with (money from) collecting bottles from the street,” she said.
To combat the thefts, Oakland police and city officials are planning to install over 300 cameras citywide by early 2024. Oakland interim chief Darren Allison thinks they’ll help with tracking down the cars as the police “see stolen vehicles being used in other crimes, being parted out for money,” Allison said.
Unfortunately that camera system will come a bit too late for Kopman and Cabrer. Both of their vehicles were located and recovered by police and had to be totaled out.