Business owners in Oakland describe going to work like it's a "war zone" - battling consistent waves of violent crime.Business owners in Oakland describe going to work like it's a 'war zone' - battling consistent waves of violent crime. New data shared with the ABC7 News I-Team reveal a significant increase in robberies and carjackings so far this year.
It's sadly no surprise to Vong, who's the owner of 11 businesses across the city. He says each of them are robbed nearly every week."I was helping my employees pick up stranded Triple A drivers and within seconds my tow truck was gone," he said. Councilmember Noel Gallo says he's aware of at least four other auto body shops in East Oakland that have been impacted by these robberies. He says two of them have shut down.
"I came out of work at around 5 p.m. and I got to where my car was and it's gone," she said. "Unfortunately it was stolen, this is the fourth time it's happened."