Oakland residents in the Brooklyn Basin community are sounding the alarm after reporting multiple car burglaries nightly.
Around 4 a.m., almost like clockwork, multiple men wearing masks roll in and begin to terrorize this community.
“Five to seven cars. Sometimes more than that, they kind of hit up several cars at a time and they make it kind of like a routine,” Oakland Resident Shalonda Gregory said.
It’s a routine that is leading Brooklyn Basin residents to organize. Some are taking turns to stay awake, document and call police when they witness car break-ins.
“The people who live on the street-facing part of the building they will kind of keep lookout. And so, we have a group text, and so they’ll text and say, hey, you know, they’re breaking into cars because several cars have gotten stolen as well,” Gregory said.
She says police do show up, but it’s not consistent or fast.
“So, it could be two hours later. It could be three hours later,” she said.
MORE: Data vs. reality: Car break-ins down 50% in Oakland, police say; here’s a look at numbers
Reported vehicle burglaries are down significantly in Oakland – by more than 50% compared to the previous year.
Brooklyn Basin is a new up-and-coming Oakland community two decades in the making. Many are attracted to it because of the waterfront, but once they move, some residents say they realize safety is an issue and there is not enough safe parking, leading to multiple car break-ins a day.
“Because of Brooklyn Basin’s proximity, especially to the highway, it’s made it a really easy target and downtown for people to come in, break windows, steal things out of cars and cars themselves, and then leave,” said Devin Shannon Aguirre, Oakland Resident.
Charlene Wang, the councilmember for this district, is in contact with Oakland police.
“I am frustrated with the crime,” Wang said. “This past week, there was a series of at least 15 car break-ins, which is totally unacceptable.”
Wang said OPD informed her that officers are investigating these crimes.
“They were following up. This is part of also a seasonal uptick in car break-ins,” she said.
MORE: 3 smash-and-grab robberies in Oakland in 48 hours; 1 business owner held at gunpoint
Brooklyn Basin has a 24/7 private security guard who walks around the area reporting and documenting any crime. ABC7 News was told that security guard is not armed.
“So, if you do have an incident, you do have to call 911. There is no one you can yell outside to say something is happening,” said resident Kayla Grubbs.
In a statement, OPD said, “Currently, these incidents are under investigation, and we have increased extra patrols in the area.”
Residents say that is not enough, especially after capturing videos of criminals showing up with guns outside their homes while breaking into cars.
“It was super scary because it just lets you know how serious the perpetrator is, right?” Gregory said. “Because if they’re packing a gun, to me that says their intent is if someone tries to interrupt what they’re doing, they’re either going to threaten harm or cause harm.”
In a statement, Oakland’s Housing Authority Executive Director Patricia Wells said:
“The Oakland Housing Authority Police Department (OHAPD) takes all reports of safety concerns seriously. From January 2025 to the present, OHAPD has not received any calls for service from the Brooklyn Basin property, including for car break-ins.
OHA recognizes the importance of resident safety, and we encourage community members to report any suspicious activity or incidents directly to OHAPD so they can be addressed. Also, OHAPD will increase patrol efforts in the area and continue to collaborate with the Oakland Police Department (OPD), as needed.”
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