Criminals in Oakland are apparently targeting parents taking their kids to school. Some recent smash-and-grab robberies have left parents rattled.
The recent robberies took place on Broadway in front of a pre-school. The remnants of a break-in were still visible on curb Monday morning. An unsuspecting mother became a victim within seconds
Emily Shoop said feels violated after someone broke through her mini-van window as she dropped her 4-year-old daughter off at pre-school two weeks ago. “They broke through the passenger side window and of course my bag was sitting there,” Shoop said. The bad guys grabbed her purse and ran off.
Shoop's bag containing her laptop, phone and wallet was gone in a flash. The graphic designer lost all of the projects stored on her computer. “Of course I was in a hurry, just racing in, giving a kiss goodbye,” Shoop said.
The pre-school director says it's something they see at the start of every school year, thieves targeting busy parents during drop off and pick-up time. A similar car burglary took place in front of Chabot Elementary earlier this month.
Oakland police said they're not ready to call what's taken place a trend, but they say it's a wake-up call every parent should learn from. While these back-to-school smash-and-grabs have taken place in Oakland, they can happen anywhere. Police say parents all over Bay Area should take precautions.
