OAKLAND — Five vehicles, including some belonging to the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office, were discovered stolen Sunday morning from a downtown garage, authorities said.
All five vehicles were recovered by Sunday afternoon, including a blue Ford Explorer that belongs to the sheriff’s office, authorities said. It is unclear where the vehicles were found.
The thefts were discovered about 7:16 a.m. Sunday at the Alameda County Parking Garage, 165 13th Street.
Authorities did not specify exactly how many of the vehicles were sheriff’s office property, though at least one, a car, was not.
Authorities also have not said where in the multi-story garage the vehicles were taken from or if there is any video surveillance that shows when the thefts actually happened, how entry was made into the vehicles, and how many suspects were involved.
The sheriff’s office credited automated license plate reader cameras with assisting in the recovery of the stolen vehicles, but did not say whether any suspects have been arrested.
No weapons were inside the vehicles, authorities said, while the SUV belonging to the sheriff’s office was unmarked.
The release further says “While there is currently no information indicating an immediate threat to the public, community m
It is the third time in recent months that government-owned vehicles have been stolen in Oakland.
Last month, an Oakland parking enforcement vehicle was stolen in Chinatown. It was later recovered in Mountain View, and a suspect arrested. In February, a Ford Expedition used by Mayor Barbara Lee was stolen from a City Hall garage. It was later recovered by police in Vallejo and a suspect was arrested.
The garage targeted in Sunday’s auto thefts was previously the site where then-Alameda County Judge Kevin Murphy was robbed of his Rolex watch at gunpoint in 2023. Police later arrested over a dozen individuals tied to a Vallejo gang believed to be responsible for that robbery, though Murphy’s watch was never recovered. He now serves as a judge in Marin County.