Alan Liang's burger joint on Hegenberger Road in Oakland is one of the last small businesses still operating in the corridor, but a recent robbery is pushing Liang over the edge.'We small business owners are trying to survive. But, you know, it's hard dealing with crimes, and it's hard for us to stay open to conduct business,' Liang said.Liang said three people barged into his restaurant, Hegenburger, early Monday morning and threatened his cook at gunpoint.
The Hegenberger corridor is a hotspot for criminal activity-especially theft. The weekend before Liang's business was robbed, the gas station across the street was burglarized. During the summer, police responded to string of 16 burglaries near Hegenberger and Collins Drive.Ken Houston, the councilman-elect for district 7, said the near-constant crime is killing a vital part of Oakland's economic integrity.'This area has deteriorated.