7-Eleven closes 2 Oakland stores as smash-and-grab attacks continue
OAKLAND -- 7-Eleven shuttered two Oakland stores on April 30, according to a source close to the company. Workers removed the corporate logos and boarded up storefronts at 4720 MacArthur Boulevard and 324 23rd Avenue. The source told CBS News Bay Area the closures were because of ongoing area crime.
As for the remaining 7-Eleven stores, managers said they were dealing with repeated robberies and burglaries.
The latest burglary happened Saturday before 5 a.m. at the Piedmont Avenue store in Oakland. Surveillance footage showed thieves backing up a stolen car to break into the front glass doors. Several people can then be seen entering the store to steal cigarettes. The owner of the store said they also used a crowbar to break open a back door to take more cigarettes stored in a separate room.
According to the source, the two Oakland stores that closed down are corporate-owned. The remaining 7-Elevens in the city are run by independent franchise owners.
Manager Gautam Kumar said it's the third burglary at that Piedmont Avenue store in five months.
"It's really tough to run a business these days. Most of the insurance companies, they're running out," Kumar said.
Kumar said the burglars on Saturday took about $10,000 in cigarettes, costing the store a few thousand dollars to repair the doors.
"It's like almost $15 a pack so they're targeting cigarettes," Kumar said.
Investigators say there's a big demand for cigarettes on the black market.
The Piedmont Avenue 7-Eleven is not alone. CBS News Bay Area reported on previous robberies at other Oakland 7-Eleven stores where gunmen held up employees and security guards to rob cartons of cigarettes.
Late last year, a robber shot and killed a security guard inside the Harrison Street 7-Eleven store.
Customers said the crime and closures end up hurting the communities.
"I hope these businesses stay but we're starting to see businesses decide 'well, it's just not worth it, we're going to go to another city,'" said customer Kris Vann.
"Then the neighborhood starts really going down (after the businesses closed). Trash, all kind of stuff. And then, what happens? We have to go farther out just to get little things," said customer Terry White. "My heart goes out to the business owners and I know it's very frustrating and I know you want to throw in the towel. But I'm asking you, just like a whole lot of consumers, just hang on a little longer."
"It's just really difficult to see and the last thing we want to see is more businesses close down. Hopefully, we find a solution (to address the crime problem)," said customer Amol Mahajan.
Oakland police reported that, as of May 26, robbery was down 3 percent this year compared to the same period last year and burglary was down 52 percent.
"It's awfully frustrating. It feels like crime is down, honestly. It feels like it's down a little bit but then you get a reminder again when things like this happen," said customer Todd Stimpson, who runs a business near the Piedmont Avenue 7-Eleven store.
Kumar said he hopes they can get more police patrols so they don't have to deal with a fourth burglary this year.
"I've been in Oakland for 24 years and it's never been this worse here. So it's really heartbreaking. Hope for the best," Kumar said.
CBS News Bay Area e-mailed 7-Eleven's corporate office for comment on Sunday afternoon but did not immediately hear back.