Oakland residents living near rail line beset by trash dumping, vehicle fires
OAKLAND -- Many Oakland Fruitvale District residents who live near the Union Pacific Railroad tracks said they are fed up with encampment trash, ongoing crime and vehicle fires.
They say that, almost on a weekly basis, thieves drive stolen cars to the tracks behind their homes and strip them for parts.
A video taken on July 19 shared with KPIX shows thieves removing tires and other parts inside a red truck.
Neighbors said that thieves would sometimes set the cars on fire after they were done.
"Cars burning and all the fumes and everything -- the wind blows it and it comes toward us," said Anna Tostado.
Her son now parks his car behind their gate because it has been stolen twice. The most recent theft was about six months ago.
"I've lived here 25 years and it's never been this bad," Tostado said.
The railroad tracks are located between 37th Avenue and High Street and run parallel to Wattling Street. A lot of RV dwellers and homeless people live near the tracks.
Neighbors aren't sure if the homeless are the same people stealing and stripping the cars but they do blame the homeless for pouring human waste down the storm drains.
As a result, the area constantly smells of raw sewage.
"It's really bad for our health. Our children can't go out to play. We cannot open our windows 'cause the smell is unbearable," said Alba Alvarado.
Residents say repeated calls and e-mails to the city and state over the past two years have gone nowhere.
"Anger and a lot of frustration and, just, feeling betrayed. We live in the city. We pay our taxes. We love the city. We choose to be here and, in the end, we're completely abandoned," said Aby Mariani.
Union Pacific Railroad and the city of Oakland recently removed stolen cars abandoned along the tracks but councilman Noel Gallo, who represents the neighborhood, said the thieves just come right back.
"We cleared this a week ago. But now, you can see the challenge -- the mess where they're bringing them in, stealing motors, parts of the car," Gallo said. "The bottom line is about enforcement, citing people. And, if you do the crime, then you should do the time as well."
Tostado and her neighbors say they want more police patrols and for Union Pacific to install fencing around the tracks to prevent vehicle traffic.
"You complain and complain and complain and nobody does nothing," Tostado said.
Instead of constantly cleaning up after the thieves, neighbors say the police should set up undercover operations to catch them since they're using the area as a chop shop.
