Comments on: Temescal merchants frustrated after recent robberies and break-ins

By: Residents pack open forum to discuss crime surge in the Temescal area | Oakland North

Tue, 08 Jan 2013 19:21:02 +0000

[...] and gathered in small groups to discuss tactics to help make their community more secure. Merchants in the Temescal area faced a rash of robberies and break-ins last summer, and electronics thefts, particularly of smartphones, are also on the rise. Over the [...]

By: melissa

melissa — Fri, 24 Aug 2012 00:08:35 +0000

Jane Brunner is a smart woman and she gets it. She isn’t the solution. We need to have a neighborhood watch system.

By: melissa

melissa — Fri, 24 Aug 2012 00:05:56 +0000

Perhaps it’s time Oakland neighbors start our own safety mafia.

By: melissa

melissa — Fri, 24 Aug 2012 00:04:31 +0000

My guess is that these criminals aren’t sitting around reading anything!

By: Mr Freely

Mr Freely — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 01:44:00 +0000

Moonmaid: Check out the story “Hostages at Home” in the Sunday Oakland Tribune, August 19, 2012.

By: Mr Freely

Mr Freely — Wed, 15 Aug 2012 22:39:00 +0000

Moonbeam: I congratulate you on your moxy and mature outlook. Your the kind of woman who prevail against those cheap hoods. Thugs beware!

By: moonbeam647

moonbeam647 — Wed, 15 Aug 2012 16:48:31 +0000

I was mugged ON MY BIKE coming through the neighborhood. It was just down the street from the DMV. Two dudes with a gun were hanging out on the sidewalk when I turned the corner. They ran towards me and even though I tried to speed up and get away from them- they grabbed my bike bag and caused me to crash into some parked cars. The police were prompt in responding, and what really helped too were the neighbors. But they got away. They knew what they were doing, and I felt they’d done it before. Boy was I right! I mysteriously got mailed the scraps of my wallet with some other woman’s, recently.

The cops may say the Temescal is ‘Hawaii’ but the thieves know where to go and who to target. I was told by the police that they likely ran to a get-away car and hopped on the freeway. So a lot of the theives probably aren’t from this neighborhood.

Thank you neighbors for coming to my aid and staying with me till the cops came. I’m sorry to read about other people getting mugged and robbed here. Our neighborhood may be all gardens and schools and nice places to eat during the day, but at night it’s a whole other story. Let’s all stop being naive.

And fellow ladies- please look out for yourselves. Don’t go out for a run at night with your ipod earbuds in. Don’t leave your keys in the door. They sure do target you!

By: Adam

Adam — Wed, 15 Aug 2012 05:38:44 +0000

The criminals are already fully aware. Maybe this will get people fired up again.

By: Michelle

Michelle — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 23:33:51 +0000

I agree that things are getting bad and it’s really a shame when decent people are making such an effort to create a strong community. I walk and bike through the area and frequent those businesses all the time. I recently moved just above Temescal at the end of June and I don’t know how many times I have had to call the cops. I have people drag racing in broad daylight with kids around, on the 4th of July people were allowing little boys to light very large fireworks that were so intense they set off all the car alarms in the neighborhood. There are people gambling in front of the houses and a few weeks ago we had some guys with SEMI AUTOMATIC WEAPONS across the street from my house. They shot a car to pieces that apparently had 2 men in it who were injured and then they just ran down the street with their assualt rifles and no one did anything. The police came to investigate and count the shells, the car was towed and there were a couple more patrols but nothing since.
People like that know what areas they can go to get away with things. I agree we absolutely need more patrolling of the the whole neighborhood.
I would love to see an initiative on the ballot for reallocating police funds. If they do have enough and they are misusing it let’s tell them how we need it to be used.

By: theresa

theresa — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 04:05:21 +0000

i hate what i’m reading. i live in the neighborhood as well and i have small children. i feel the freedom to walk to bake sale betty’s, walgreens, emerson school, or McDonald’s without being robbed, but goodness, what would I do if I were with one or both of my two little ones? That’s a scary thought. Why won’t we organize a neighborhood watch program where we can share of events of crime, much like those posted here on this forum, plus share ideas of how to protect ourselves. Perhaps even have our district office or police officer show up, so they will hear our complaints and can provide some tips for safety or solutions for reducing theft, robberies, assaults, etc. It will at least heighten awareness that as a community we want solutions. i know i would be in favor of cameras on all of the blocks in Temescal. Some people feel that’s too big brotherish, but I don’t mind being watched, I’m not one of the criminals. Hey, here’s an idea. what about an “alert” button sort of like a call box on the sides of freeways. when you press it, the police are called to the area!