Oakland Mayor Shen Tao and the city police announced a series of arrests Wednesday in connection with everything from home invasions to a string of robberies of gas stations and restaurants.
“While we are seeing a decrease in reported violent crimes, our work is far from done,” Oakland Police Chief Floyd Mitchell said.
Oakland police announced at a press conference on Wednesday that video surveillance and evidence found in the home of 32-year-old Derrick Behrens proved him to be the culprit behind four residential robberies and burglaries that occurred in the Highland Park area in April. Police said the suspect has a lengthy criminal history, having committed similar crimes throughout Alameda County.
“The suspect was just scouting the area. He would typically drive around the area in his car, park a few blocks away and then walk to the locations he wanted to rob,” Oakland Police Lt. Omar Daza Quiroz said.
Police also announced the arrest of four 17-year-olds in connection with more than 30 commercial burglaries and armed robberies since January.
“In many of the actual robberies of businesses or individuals inside of businesses, large axes were used and it was fortunate that none of the robbery victims were injured,” Oakland Police Officer Frederick Shaveis said.
The most recent string of robberies took place in May when two members of the group hit six stores in the Hegenberger Corridor in just 60 minutes, according to Oakland police, and police believe the same group of four young men are responsible for more than 20 thefts in surrounding cities.
Tao attributed the crime drop to collaborative efforts between Oakland Police, community partners and the California Highway Patrol.
“When I took office a year and a half ago, crime was on the rise and there were fewer officers on the streets than there are now. But today, Oakland is heading in the right direction,” she said.
Police said their efforts have contributed to a drop in overall crime.
According to the latest data from Oakland Police, commercial thefts have fallen 25% over the past three years, while residential thefts have fallen 14% over the same period. But it's not all good news, with residential thefts up 39%. Tao said he's committed to reducing those numbers, too.
“There's still a lot to do. There's no time to celebrate. We need to keep the pressure on and we will,” Tao said.
