Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao and the city’s police department announced Wednesday a series of arrests related to everything from a home invasion to a string of gas station and restaurant robberies.
“While we have seen a decrease in the number of violent crimes identified, our work is far from over,” said Oakland police chief Floyd Mitchell.
During a press conference Wednesday, Oakland police said that video surveillance and evidence found at the home of 32-year-old Derrick Behrens proves he’s responsible for four different home robberies and burglaries in April in the Highland Park area. Police said he has a lengthy criminal history for the similar crimes throughout Alameda County.
“The suspect was just scoping out the area. He would just normally drive around, we would park several blocks away and then walk to the locations that he wanted to burglarize,” said Oakland police Lt. Omar Daza-Quiroz.
Police said they also arrested a group of four 17-year-olds in connection with more than 30 commercial burglaries and armed robberies since January.
“In a number of the actual robberies of both businesses and persons within the businesses, there was a large hatchet used and we are fortunate that none of the subjects that were robbed were injured,” said Frederick Shavies with Oakland police.
The Oakland Police Department said the latest spree happened in may when two members of the group targeted six businesses in the Hegenberger Corridor in just 60 minutes. Police suspect the same group of four teens is responsible for more than 20 other burglaries in surrounding cities.
Thao credited a collaborative approach between Oakland police, regional partners and the California Highway Patrol for the decrease in crime.
“When I took office a year and a half ago, crime was rising, and we did have fewer officers on the street then we do now. However, today, Oakland is headed on the right track,” she said
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And police said their work is helping fuel a dip in overall crime.
According to the latest Oakland police numbers, commercial burglaries are down 25% over the last three years, home burglaries are down 14 % in the same time frame. But it’s not all good news as home robberies are up by 39%. Thao said she is committed to seeing those numbers decline as well.
“We still have a lot of work to do. There’s no time to celebrate, we need to continue to put on the pressure and we will,” Thao said.
