Nowhere in the country is the failure of far-left governance more obvious than in the Golden State.
That’s because the local laws are set up to favor criminals over the law-abiding.
Now this shocking new video out of Oakland, California shows why businesses are fleeing in droves.
Oakland, California is seeing a rash of criminal activity so severe that the city is at risk of becoming a ghost town.
In March, multiple Taco Bell restaurants in the city announced they would change their business model to drive-through only, citing an uptick in crime.
In January, the local Denny’s restaurant closed, also because of rampant criminal activity.
The situation in the city has gotten so dire that in February, Governor Gavin Newsom (D) announced the deployment of 120 California Highway Patrol officers to Oakland and the surrounding area.
Their task was to conduct a law enforcement surge operation, specifically to crack down on crime, including vehicle theft, retail theft, and violent crime.
In a statement, Newsom said, “What’s happening in this beautiful city and surrounding area is alarming and unacceptable.”
But those efforts notwithstanding, the crime wave in Oakland is still raging on.
A broad daylight brazen theft
Now, one of the oldest jewelry stores in the region has fallen victim to a brazen armed robbery in broad daylight.
Surveillance video at Phuong Jewelry in Oakland’s Chinatown shows eight armed suspects destroying the showcases and getting away with the merchandise on Wednesday afternoon at approximately 12:30 PM.
https://twitter.com/DionLimTV/status/1778658538392613132
According to the family that owns the business, 85-90% of the store’s inventory was taken.
While the suspects were gathering the valuables, Diane, the store owner, ran to the back of the store and alerted her 76-year-old husband.
He emerged from the backroom with a firearm and scared the robbers away, but they already had the valuables in hand.
Tony Trinh, Diane’s son, told ABC 7 News after being alerted about the robbery, “We’ve been robbed a few times before but not at this level of brazen magnitude. Eight individuals and two getaway cars and guns drawn. I thought, did my mother get shot? Did my father get shot? Did any of our staff of community members?”
Owner’s son: If not for my dad’s quick action, they would have stolen more
Addressing his father’s action to scare away the suspects, Tony added, “If he hadn’t done that they would have kept going. My mom was devastated, and my dad was broken. It’s rough, my mom is the leader of the pack – when she suffers, I suffer the same thing from her.”
Sadly, because of an increase in insurance premiums, the business let their insurance lapse.
The Oakland Chinatown Improvement Council started a GoFundMe to help the family with expenses.
But the family is undeterred.
Diane plans to go right back to work and Tony said, “We can’t let our fear overcome! The only way to reduce crime is to have more traffic, events, people to get more resources. A strong Oakland Chinatown is strong for every community in Oakland.”
According to police data, in the past year, robberies grew 38% last year in Oakland while burglaries increased 23% and motor vehicle theft climbed 44%.
Stay tuned to Blue State Blues for any updates to this ongoing story.
