A business owner in Oakland, Calif., said she’s had her car broken into so many times that she now leaves her windows down to prevent criminals from breaking the glass when her vehicle is carjacked.
Suzane Loi, who has run The Coffee Mill on Grand Avenue for the past 27 years, told the Daily Mail that she dislikes the criminality she sees on the street outside her café.
Masked auto thieves allegedly smash car windows outside her shop many times a week, in addition to her café, which she claims has been smashed into three times in six months.
“When I park my car outside I leave the windows down enough to fit your hand through and unlock it so they don’t smash the glass,” she said in an interview with the Daily Mail.
Loi believes it is a better option than having to replace her broken car window every time it occurs.
In recent years, Oakland has experienced an increase in violent crime and thievery, with smash-and-grab robberies and allegations of employee attacks on the rise. The city’s overall violent crime category grew 21% between 2022 and 2023, according to Oakland police.
Furthermore, people of Oakland are increasingly purchasing bulletproof glass to protect themselves.
“My business is down 40% this year because people are too afraid to go out to eat in downtown,” she claimed. “Their cars will simply be smashed, stolen, or broken into.” Just last week, we had two break-ins outside.”
According to Loi, the burglars are mostly 15-year-old children, pre-teens, or even girls, which does not fit the normal gender profile for criminality.
“This used to be the place to be, but now everything is closing,” she told me. “We don’t have fine dining.” Shops are closing down. CVS is also attempting to close.”
“Honestly, someone needs to be held accountable for it,” she said. “I’m at a loss for what to do; the government is doing nothing.” “Why did we vote for them in the first place?“
Oakland has a persistent crime problem. In reaction to the city’s high crime, dozens of shop owners organized a strike in September.
“We are all dying, figuratively and literally,” one restauranteur said of the city’s state. “The business community has just gotten to the breaking point where someone is having to choose to close their doors because they can no longer stay in business.”