Given the Oakland Police Department’s notorious and longstanding problems, along with the fact that the city — like plenty of others in The Golden State — is facing potential receivership, the crime problem in the place with no there there is getting steadily worse. Maybe one part of the OPD’s problem is the caliber (no pun intended) of its recruits. On Friday evening a couple were in their Oakland Hills home when threy were joined by three home invaders . . .
From ktvu.com:
The robbers went for the victim’s gun and one took it and began pistol whipping the victim, police said.
The robbers then fled the scene.
The victim, a man in his 20s, was taken to Highland Hospital, but the woman was not harmed.
The homeowner, is the grandmother of the victim, and she told KTVU the victim is a police cadet who is currentlty (sic) attending the police
academy to fulfill a childhood dream of becoming a police officer.
But judging from the reaction of neighbors, having a cop living nearby doesn’t seem to be providing them much comfort.
Neighborhood residents received an email alert from their neighborhood watch group about the incident.
“I thought it was really serious,” said Tom, a neighbor. “It’s getting worse and worse in this area.”
Neighbors told KTVU the crimes are getting more frequent and more brazen. Friday’s robbery took place right under the watchful eye of a neighborhood watch sign.
“We can never count on the police up here,” Tom said. “(We’re)pretty much on your own.”
Johnny Lazaro, a tow truck driver who came to take the homeowner’s car to get re-keyed, because her purse and car keys were among the stolen items agreed.
“It’s crazy out here in Oakland,” said Johnny Lazaro. “Everybody’s so hard up they’re doing a lot of killing and robbing. I don’t understand why.”
Well Johnny may have answered his own question. When people are hard up they will turn to less honorable means in which to get by. One of the challenges we are seeing from a crappy economy and reduced city services is an increase in crime. From urban areas to rural, people are having more and more issues just getting by.
So when San Bernardino City Attorney James Penman warned his city’s residents to lock their doors and load their guns, he knew what he was talking about. But as the Oakland cadet found out, it helps if you’re ready to use them.
Oakland PD Cadet Needs a New Career
Fixed.
Please no. I ride BART sometimes, and BART Police is where they send the washouts.
Isn’t this the home base for the Hell’s Angels? The po-po couldn’t get them out, so how in the hell do you expect them to curb crime at all?
I laughed for quite some time after reading this ridiculous comment.
“Neighbors told KTVU the crimes are getting more frequent and more brazen. Friday’s robbery took place right under the watchful eye of a neighborhood watch sign.”
Perhaps they need a Crime Free zone sign too. I bet that would solve all their problems.
That was one bold home invasion.
I agree with Ralph here. The unnamed cadet in question had an epic fail when it came to the use of his side arm in a defensive situation. A new career choice might be in order here…
JWM and myself harken from the same location, so I guess in our eyes, a brazen home invasion is really nothing new. I think from a national perspective though, the poor economy, high unemployment, and no end in sight has led to increased crime. Especially in urban areas where strict gun laws, mean many if not most private citizens really are not armed, and abide by the FEMA guidelines as to what to do.
As much as I respect our LEO’s and what they do, yes this includes giving me a speeding ticket, neighbor Tom has it right. We are on our own. If law abiding citizens took their security and well being personally, instead of handing it off to some agency, we would be seeing far fewer of these incidents. Criminals will take the path of least resistance. If every local stop and rob was armed, and people who were law abiding could carry in the golden state, then criminals would look elsewhere.
Until folks are to busy working instead of committing crimes, we will see this type of behavior increase in our communities. It will never eliminate all crime, that is some utopian LSD filled, unicorn fantasy, but I can say we would see less violent crime and probably an increase in petty crime, like pick pocketing, or car theft. I don’t like that much either, but it sure beats having people storm your house at night, or shoot you for eighty bucks out of the market register.
San, it’s because of the area we live in that I’m sitting at the key board typing this to you with a .38 in my pocket. Does that mean I’ll prevail if it happens here, no, but it means I have a better chance than those that rely on the system to protect them.
I’m with Ralph on this one. The poor cadet was probably so scared that he didn’t know how to react and he’s lucky they didn’t kill him. I guess no one really knows how they will react until it happens to them, but I think this kid should look for another career.
Yep, “deer in the headlights” ain’t a good defense plan.
Ever consider the possibiity that the gun was not loaded? Seems a logical inference.
Then it becomes “deer in the headlights” coupled with either poor planning or poor situational awareness or a little of both.
Really TTAG? Did anyone proofread this crappy article?
+10. I second that. C’mon, guys, how about a little bit of journalistic pride, eh?
Wake up people, laws and police cannot prevent crime. They can only prosecute criminals and clean up the mess after a crime has occurred. The police cannot be everywhere and at all times, and not all officers are even capable of taking the necessary actions to stop a crime that they witness.
I laugh at SF and Oakland PD and city’s. They voted and banned almost every firearm out there and there own cops cant protect themselves.
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