Vehicle Thefts Increase by Nearly 50 Percent in Oakland

Vehicle theft in the City of Oakland increased 45 percent in 2023 compared to 2022, according to statistics from the city’s police department—another indication, some say, that recent policies regarding crime and safety in the city are failing. In total, about 15,000 vehicles were stolen last year, or on average, one theft for about every 30 residents. According to a study earlier last summer by MarketWatch—a financial website and a subsidiary of Dow Jones & Company—Oakland ranked first in the nation for auto thefts in 2019. Some locals are laying blame for such an uptick in crime on the city’s leadership, which they say has led to a weakened police force and more crime....