Burglars smash vehicles into Oakland businesses in 2 separate incidents overnight
Burglars smashed a box truck into a liquor store in Oakland early Wednesday morning and shortly after plowed another vehicle into the front of a bank, police said.
The first incident happened on the 2600 block of 14th Avenue in the city's Highland Park neighborhood. Oakland police said officers responded just before 3:45 a.m. and found that a liquor store had been significantly damaged by a box truck still at the scene.
Police said officers learned that multiple people took several items before fleeing the area in at least one other vehicle. It appeared that an ATM at the business was targeted but it was unclear whether the ATM was stolen.
Minutes later, officers responded to a Chase Bank branch on the 3400 block of Fruitvale Avenue in the city's Lower Dimond neighborhood, slightly over a mile east of the first incident. The front of the bank and facade around the ATMs were also damaged in the same manner by a vehicle, which remained largely intact.
It was not clear whether anything was stolen from the bank. Police said based on the damage it could be linked to the burglars who smashed into the liquor store.
Police urged anyone with information about either incident to contact the department's burglary unit at (510) 238-3951. People with access to video or photos that could help investigators were asked to send them to cidvideos@oaklandca.gov.