Oakland is the nation’s leading city for robberies, and not by a little. The beleaguered City bests the second-ranked Cleveland by a staggering 36 percent, is more than double nearby Richmond, and more than three times neighboring Hayward. There is one robbery for every 91 residents.
The definition of robberies does not include vacant crimes such as burglaries. Instead, the statistics compare unprovoked and confrontational theft, such as purse snatching, hold-ups, and muggings. The prevalence of weapons in these crimes is reportedly increasing, and the police department’s staffing and technological deficiencies make it difficult to catch the criminals.
These sort of crimes are, according to a professor from Duke University, one of the greatest detriments to quality of life. For instance, landlords have cited tenants moving out after being mugged, businesses have had to hire private security, and residents don’t walk anywhere after dark.
Mayor Jean Quan called the statistics unacceptable.
Read the full story at the Oakland Tribune.