Residents Near Oakland's Jack London Square Frustrated Over Rampant Car Break-Ins - 'I Felt Really Violated'
OAKLAND (KPIX 5) – People living in an apartment building near Oakland's Jack London Square say the parking situation has become a nightmare, as their garage has become a target for repeated break-ins.
Residents of Channel House pay more than $3,000 a month for their apartments. The huge complex at Jack London Square has 400 units, but only 80 parking spaces in its underground garage, so residents pay $150 a month for a space in the garage across the railroad tracks owned by the same company, CIM Group.
But there is a problem with that.
"Within a month, my car has been broken into three times," said John Kuoc. "Three broken windows in less than four weeks!"
In one night alone, there were 14 reported break-ins. Fed-up residents said windows are being smashed on almost a nightly basis.
The break-ins have become so bad that Paige Wahoff gets up at 6 a.m. every day to check her car, to see if she should go to school or start calling her insurance company.
"It does seem like a bit of Russian Roulette whether, in the morning, I wake up and my car will still be intact," Wahoff told KPIX 5. "And I do worry about potentially catching these vandals in the act."
Break-ins have been happening for months and drivers have learned not to leave anything in sight, but windows are being broken anyway. Some residents just leave them rolled down to prevent the damage.
Kolade Adekoya said there has been damage to his psyche as well. "I felt really violated," Adekoya said. "Really, really—it was emotionally draining. It just ruined my day and I was just, like, why does this have to happen to anybody, not just me?"
Residents said the damage is being done between midnight and 6 a.m., after the regular security guard goes home for the night.
The garage also serves Amtrak customers so it is open to the public with no locks on gates or elevators.
According to residents, the police won't even come when something is reported.
"I don't necessarily blame them for that because of the understaffing and budget constraints," said Wahoff, "but I do think it gives carte blanche to any criminals that want to come in and break into cars."
Considering the amount they're being charged, the residents say CIM Group should be providing 24-hour security. Wahoff said the company told them extra security was being added, but her apartment overlooks the garage and she hasn't seen it yet.
Meanwhile, one driver just left his window broken, with a letter on the dashboard decrying the situation and ending with "Our lives are at risk."