Back in the so-called “wild west” they would hang horse thieves. That penalty tended to keep horse thievery to a minimum. Today, in the allegedly civilized world of Oakland, California the police there are swamped with a 21% spike in violent crime. As such, they’ve warned residents — and criminals — that they don’t have time any more for car theft investigations. And bad guys have taken notice.
Last year, perps stole 15,000 vehicles via outright theft or carjacking. That’s about one for every thirty residents.
It sure is a good thing the city’s elected officials in Oakland embraced woke criminal justice reforms like “restorative justice” and decarceration along with zero bail. In their infinite wisdom and compassion, voters also elected a Soros-funded prosecutor who sees violent criminals as victims of society.
Kind of makes you want to carry not one concealed carry piece but two…doesn’t it? Now residents of Oakland and surrounding parts of Alameda County are getting exactly what they’ve voted for…good and hard.
The Daily Mail has more . . .
One in thirty Oakland residents had their car stolen last year as 15,000 vehicles were stolen – a 45 percent increase in just a year.
The shocking figure is the highest in 15 years.
However, less than five percent of those auto theft cases lead to an actual arrest as the California city’s understaffed and underfunded police department are preoccupied dealing with a 21 percent spike in violent crime. And there are also just two police officers assigned to deal with car theft…
The city’s mayor and DA are both outspoken progressives who have both said that police accountability and racial equity are a priority, but fed-up locals have pleaded with them to make the Bay Area city safer.
Ordinarily, we’d advice you to carry your personal defense tools with you, but California laws make that difficult at best. Gavin Newsom has done a fine job making sure the good guys are almost always disarmed in the Golden State while criminals run roughshod with impunity over law-abiding types.
All people many people can do is exercise good situational awareness. And if circumstances merit, turn would-be carjackers into hood ornaments.
Welcome to the “civilized” state of California. Where bad guys steal cars not only for a joyride and to the commit additional crimes, but also to strip them for parts.
It should also go without saying…don’t leave a gun in your car. Especially in Oakland.