Temescal merchants frustrated after recent robberies and break-ins
on August 7, 2012
In the last few years, the Temescal District has been heralded as one of the most culturally diverse communities in the city. Its growing popularity has resulted in increased interest from business owners and residents who are vying for a space within the community. But over the last few months, the number of robberies and thefts that have been reported to the Temescal Telegraph Avenue Community Association and the Temescal Merchants’ Association has shown an increase, the members of those associations say, leaving local merchants frustrated and asking for more help from the police and the city.
The two associations have received email notices and other forms of communication from merchants indicating that between March and July, at least eight merchants have reported incidents of theft, vandalism and assault, including a robbery at Marisa Haskell Jewelry, destruction of private property at Tanjia Restaurant, break-ins or attempted break-ins at The Mixing Bowl and Sacred Wheel Cheese Shop, and the mugging of two employees from 17 Jewels Salon & Spa.
Many of the merchants are blaming the crime on the decrease in the number of police officers in the area and the lack of response Temescal business owners say they receive when reporting a crime. According to several business owners who spoke with Oakland North, merchants’ calls to the police station go unanswered, or, should they speak with an officer, they are advised to document crimes that do not involve a physical assault via an online crime report. The neighborhood associations have started a letter writing campaign to request that the Oakland Police Department (OPD) assign a regular patrol officer to the area. The associations are currently asking their members to write letters documenting incidents of crimes so that the letters can be bundled together and sent to the OPD and the mayor’s office.
As of press time, OPD spokesperson Officer Johnna Watson had not returned responses to interview requests seeking more information for this story.
Darlene Drapkin, executive director of the Temescal Telegraph Avenue Community Association, said that merchants feel the police are focused on responding to violent crime rather misdemeanor cases. “One of the problems we’re having is the City of Oakland continues to shift its police resources to kind of reactive-type activities, as opposed to being proactive,” said Drapkin. “Temescal is a relatively safe neighborhood, but certainly incidents will happen. Unfortunately, Temescal is no longer getting that much attention and community policing appears to be going by the wayside.”
“A few years ago, a lieutenant told us that Temescal is Hawaii to them and East Oakland or West Oakland was Iraq, so that’s were they had to spend their time,” Drapkin continued.
Temescal merchant Grace Lee, who owns The Mixing Bowl, a shop specializing in salads, sandwiches and baked goods, said she now reports only serious crimes to the OPD. “The small petty crimes I just handle on my own,” she said. She said the merchants notify each other about shoplifters and other situations that could be harmful. “At this point I don’t think any of us even bother calling the OPD anymore,” Lee said. “What’s the point?”
“A few months ago someone broke in through the back door,” Lee said of her own shop. “I identified him, we had camera footage of him, called the OPD. Three different police officers came down here, looked at the footage, took my statement and zero follow up.” A few days after the first incident, the same person attempted to break into the shop for a second time, Lee said.
Last week someone attempted to break into Jena Davidson’s store, The Sacred Wheel Cheese Shop, which is approximately five blocks away from the Mixing Bowl, but was caught by a neighbor, Davidson said. “I didn’t even bother to call the police because they won’t come,” said Davidson. “I understand they’re busy, they’re very overworked and very understaffed, but it has put me in a position where I know that if something is happening and it is not addressed immediately, there is really no point.”
Davidson has lived in the area for more than seven years. When she opened her business a little more than one year ago, it appeared to her that the area was gradually improving with the arrival of new businesses, she said. But now she wonders if the recent rise in crime is because Temescal is receiving more publicity about the new businesses.
“My mother was robbed in a Safeway parking lot two weeks ago,” Davidson said. “She called the police. They said they were coming, [but] no officer ever responded or even helped her file a report. She dealt with the security guard in the parking lot. It has been three weeks since this happened.”
Julie Stevens, who owns 17 Jewels Salon & Spa, just a few blocks away from The Sacred Wheel, said that within the past two weeks, “Two of my employees were robbed half a block from my salon. … One was at gunpoint, the other was tackled and assaulted for her cellphone.”
Stevens, who is also on the Temescal Telegraph Business Improvement District board of the directors, said she and the residents down the street from her were able to identify one of the men who attacked one of her employees. After filing a report and giving the police a description, they saw the man parked on the street in their area. They were able to document part of his license plate number. But, she said, she is frustrated and concerned because trying to get the OPD to move forward on the case has been like “a fucking shut door.”
Stevens said she has heard of a total of five robberies in the past two months, including one last week at the bus stop in front of the Bank of the West during which someone’s phone was taken.
Property crimes are up this year throughout the city. According to the weekly OPD crime report submitted for July 16 to July 22, the number of robberies citywide this year is up from 1,677 to 2,075 at the same time last year, an increase of 24 percent. According to the report, the number of burglaries has gone from 4,574 at this time last year to 6,380 so far this year, increasing 39 percent.
The website Oakland.Crimespotting.org, an interactive map that provides crime reports and alerts for locations throughout the city, shows that during the week of July 23 through July 30 there were 47 reports of theft in the entire city, with 8 occurring in and around the Temescal area. These included four on MacArthur Boulevard between Broadway and Jackson Street, three on Telegraph Avenue between 44th and 54th Streets and one on Adeline Street.
There were 68 robbery reports in the entire city throughout this time period, with, seven in the Temescal area: One on West MacArthur Boulevard, one on 40th Street, two on Telegraph and 45th Street, one on Telegraph Avenue and 45th Street near Market, one on 53rd Street and one on 53rd and Telegraph Avenue.
There were 46 burglaries city-wide during this time period, one in the Temescal area on Telegraph Avenue and 45th Street.
Temescal merchants feel that the recent crime rate in their neighborhood is unusually high. “I’ve lived in Temescal for 14 years now and I have never experienced this level of crime that is happening right now,” Lee said. “It’s bad and everybody wants to do something about it, but what that is is unclear.”
In an effort to gain support for the Temescal District, the merchants have decided to have each business owner write a letter recounting criminal incidents that have occurred in the last few months. Lee is in the process of compiling all the letters that merchants have sent to her and will put together a packet to deliver to city officials, requesting that the OPD assign a police car or a problem-solving officer to patrol the area daily and in the evenings.
In the letters, the merchants lay out the details of the criminal activity they have witnessed and what steps they have taken to work with law enforcement. “My shop in Temescal Alley was robbed for the second time in the last year this weekend,” wrote Marisa Haskell, owner of Marisa Haskell Jewelry, in an email sent to the Temescal Merchants’ Association, which will be passed along to city officials. “Roughly $1,500 in jewelry was stolen as well as my bicycle and some personal possessions. I am increasingly concerned about the safety of the neighborhood.”
Davidson wrote one about the break-in at her cheese shop. “At 3:00 a.m., Saturday July 21 a man was stopped by our neighbors [from] cutting the glass out of a window on the side of the building,” she wrote. “Though our neighborhood is thriving in many positive ways, it seems that crime is thriving as well!”
Drapkin said that the Temescal Merchants Association and the Temescal Community District Association have been notified that a new problem-solving officer has been assigned to the area, which has been without one for several months after the previous problem-solving officer was reassigned to another location. The officer would be the liaison between the police department and the merchants in the area, and would patrol the neighborhoods to help resolve issues like loitering, shoplifting or disturbing the peace. But, said Drapkin, “One of the problems we have is that we keep getting a new one [problem-solving officer] every few months so we can’t develop any real relationship.”
In the past, Lee said, “We invited an officer to come and speak at our group [meeting]. He was to specifically address safety but he never showed and didn’t call and there’s been no follow up.”
The merchants have had several meeting to discuss ways to improve safety in the community. One option that has been discussed as an alternative to a police presence in the area would be to hire a private security firm. But the community associations do not have the funds for such an expense, so the business owners would pay the costs, said Stevens.
“Something needs to improve here, because they are keeping their eye off the ball in the neighborhoods that generate a lot of sales tax revenues for the City of Oakland,” Drapkin said of the city. “We want to keep people feeling safe about coming to Temescal and these little rash of crimes is just not good. It’s stuff that can be ‘nipped in the bud’ with just a little bit more police presence.”
23 Comments
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Is it smart to write articles about how the cops don’t show up in response to criminal activity? Maybe this will embolden criminals who already feel like OPD is always 10 steps behind and generally disinterested unless it involves discharge of a firearm.
The criminals are already fully aware. Maybe this will get people fired up again.
My guess is that these criminals aren’t sitting around reading anything!
I moved out of Oakland two months ago because I could see this coming. I very narrowly avoided being purse-snatched in a Peet’s parking lot in the Dimond district and that was the final nail in the coffin that included several break-ins and property crimes during my residence. while there are many things about Oakland that I love and miss, I do NOT miss the crime, or the helpless feeling I got watching the thugs and ghetto punks that roam neighborhoods looking for shit to get into knowing they will do so with no consequences. Continued incompetence on the part of the mayor and city council, and weary indifference on the part of the OPD only ensures this trend will become more entrenched as time goes on. Anyone who loves Oakland should be seriously concerned about its future.
I agree. On my block alone we have had an assault and hit and run in the last few weeks by thugs who hang out in the area selling and using drugs. During both crimes the victims identified a light blue Cutlass Ciera and one victim even got the license plate #. The result? They still hang out in the area and OPD appears to have little more than mild interest in following up. Thugs acting with impunity case in point.
Hiring private security is definitely the way to go.
Perhaps it’s time Oakland neighbors start our own safety mafia.
First of all, the article points to 8 incidents in a 5 month period, which is an incredibly small figure in a large city. Let’s have some perspective here – people are being killed daily in the city, and petty property crimes are truly of little comparative significance.
Crime may be (?) up in Temescal because there are now many more people with money walking around, in close proximity to people with very little money. This has and will continue to be the classic model for an preponderance of robberies.
The rest of the city of Oakland has known exactly what sort of joke OPD has been for quite some time, and understand that they have been playing politics with the safety of residents in a very public way.
Maybe something will happen change now that Temescal is complaining…but I sure wouldn’t bank on it.
OPD constantly talks about how it needs more money and more staffing, but the most recent City Auditor report shows that OPD gets lots of money, but uses it poorly. Similarly, the last consultant stated OPD officers are poorly trained. Seems like OPD has always needed a really competent, no nonsense police chief, and has not had one. Throwing resources at something broken does not make the fix. Fix it first.
Perhaps it’s time for Temescal business owners to purchase stun guns. Should end this mini crime wave quickly.
Oakland has only 600 police when it should have 1200. Oakland has one the highest violent crime rates in the entire country. Oakland has increasing crime rates while other communities have seen their crime rates go down. Yet the City Council, including City Councilmember Jane Brunner, and Mayor Jean Quan refuse to take strong, bold measures to stop crime. Jane Brunner for example is opposed to gang injunctions, anti-loitering laws and curfews for teens. Without enough police there is no visible deterrent to crime, there are not enough police to respond to crimes in progress and no police to actually investigate crimes. No wonder the criminals have free reign. Can’t Oakland politicians understand that you must protect your businesses and provide safe shopping opportunities to grow your tax base?By the way where is Jane Brunner in all of this? Oh yeah, too busy running for City Attorney.
Jane Brunner is a smart woman and she gets it. She isn’t the solution. We need to have a neighborhood watch system.
Security Guards?
Like COMMAND INTERNATIONAL SECURITY SERVICE, the security company that guarded that senior home under construction near the West Oakland BART Station? Those guys?
I wish O.P.D. would cite those coffee shop owners for blocking the sidewalks with their tables,chairs,sandwich signs, and ironing boards.
Since OPD never seems to respond, I think the community should take the initiative and re institute the “eye for an eye” principle. If you find someone stealing something, cut off their hand. Harsh, yes, but effective in deterring crime. Don’t worry about crossing paths with OPD for cutting off someone’s hand, they’ll never show up anyway. Hell they may thank you.
Why so bitter Ned?
Well, I live in Temescal and was robbed last night. I live on the upper level of a duplex free standing house and cash, jewelry, and bike were taken. No one harmed. Cop came immedietly and is sending a technician to fingerprint. Things look to be improving in the right direction. When I was living in Baltimore and got robbed, the cops did nothing and I had a k9 unit and 11 of them after a break in. They didnt even fingerprint the obvious prints on all of my windows. Im glad after reading these comments and articles that the opd is responding much better and quicker now. I shouldnt have to get a big dog, shot gun, and alarm system. I dont own anything of value, but my sense of security and safety is going ot be an issue especially being a female. My downstairs neighbors were robbed this past weekend as well.
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!
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.
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!
Moonbeam: I congratulate you on your moxy and mature outlook. Your the kind of woman who prevail against those cheap hoods. Thugs beware!
Moonmaid: Check out the story “Hostages at Home” in the Sunday Oakland Tribune, August 19, 2012.
[…] 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 […]