Crime Trends Downward in Oakland, but Residents and Businesses Still Impacted

Crime is down in Oakland so far this year compared to 2023, according to an Aug. 12 Oakland Police Department report, but some locals, business owners and employees say they are not yet feeling safe. Overall, the number of crimes reported to police are 32 percent below 2023’s statistics up to Aug. 11. Violent crime is down 12 percent this year, and other than a few exceptions—residential robbery, some violent robberies, and unclassified burglaries—all categories are below last year’s totals. Robberies declined by 14 percent, and burglaries by 54 percent—including 61 percent fewer auto burglaries—compared with the same period in 2023. While lower than last year, most categories of crime, however, are higher than 2022—except for burglaries and larceny....