OAKLAND, CA - Frustrated store manager of an Oakland gas station says that a mob of criminals ransacked his store, causing thousands of dollars in damage, and alleged that the police took several hours to respond.
According to the New York Post, the group broke into the 76 Station near the San Francisco Bay Oakland International Airport around 4:30 a.m. on Friday, July 5th. The store owner, Sam Mardaie said that the group had approximately 80 to 100 people. He said they broke through his store's front doors and took everything they could get their hands on.
He said, "Shelves were ripped apart. All the grocery items torn or stepped on or vandalized." Video surveillance obtained by ABC7 News Bay Area shows the looters grabbing drinks from the fridges, food items off the shelves, boxes and baskets belonging to the store and a television.
Some of the suspects can be seen climbing over the register counter to steal items from underneath the counter. According to the owner, the mob was reportedly upset that they were not allowed inside the store. Due to it being the middle of the night, the store was only offering window service, which is a normal operation for the 24/7 shop during the overnight hours.
Approximately $25,000 in cash was taken from the store's register and ATM. The group could not, however, grab the safe. Mardaie said that two store employees were inside and were threatened by the thieves. The entire incident lasted around 40 minutes. He said, "This is the hardest thing you could ever go through ... especially if you've put in sweat and tears day in and day out."
Maradie and his family took over the business in August 2023. He added, "Building yourself for the last 10 months and then you're back to square one."
The incident was reported to police, but the dispatcher informed the caller that the crime was listed as a "Priority 2," since no suspects were on scene. The dispatched allegedly told the caller that the incident could also have been reported online. According to reports, it was only after a video of the incident was shared with the department that it was then raised to a "Priority 1" and an officer was sent to the store nine hours after the robbery began.
Police said that officers had been responding to a sideshow near the airport that had over 100 cars and later responded to a burglary 90 minutes later. The large mob of thieves reportedly came from the nearby car sideshow. Oakland's recent spike in crime has forced several other businesses in the area to close their stores and caused one family to pull their son out of a local college.
The 76 gas station is located in the same area where an In-N-Out closed its only location in Oakland back in March because of the surge in crime and for the safety of their customers. In February, a Texas attorney offered a $10,000 reward after her son, who had been refueling his rental car, was robbed at gunpoint at the same gas station.
At the time, Mardaie said, "It's crazy. I mean it's a daily thing. It hasn't been a day since we opened in August that we don't have an incident. I come from Yemen, a third world country and we don't have those incidents in a third world country where there's no law and order."
According to the New York Post, the group broke into the 76 Station near the San Francisco Bay Oakland International Airport around 4:30 a.m. on Friday, July 5th. The store owner, Sam Mardaie said that the group had approximately 80 to 100 people. He said they broke through his store's front doors and took everything they could get their hands on.
He said, "Shelves were ripped apart. All the grocery items torn or stepped on or vandalized." Video surveillance obtained by ABC7 News Bay Area shows the looters grabbing drinks from the fridges, food items off the shelves, boxes and baskets belonging to the store and a television.
Some of the suspects can be seen climbing over the register counter to steal items from underneath the counter. According to the owner, the mob was reportedly upset that they were not allowed inside the store. Due to it being the middle of the night, the store was only offering window service, which is a normal operation for the 24/7 shop during the overnight hours.
Approximately $25,000 in cash was taken from the store's register and ATM. The group could not, however, grab the safe. Mardaie said that two store employees were inside and were threatened by the thieves. The entire incident lasted around 40 minutes. He said, "This is the hardest thing you could ever go through ... especially if you've put in sweat and tears day in and day out."
Maradie and his family took over the business in August 2023. He added, "Building yourself for the last 10 months and then you're back to square one."
The incident was reported to police, but the dispatcher informed the caller that the crime was listed as a "Priority 2," since no suspects were on scene. The dispatched allegedly told the caller that the incident could also have been reported online. According to reports, it was only after a video of the incident was shared with the department that it was then raised to a "Priority 1" and an officer was sent to the store nine hours after the robbery began.
Police said that officers had been responding to a sideshow near the airport that had over 100 cars and later responded to a burglary 90 minutes later. The large mob of thieves reportedly came from the nearby car sideshow. Oakland's recent spike in crime has forced several other businesses in the area to close their stores and caused one family to pull their son out of a local college.
The 76 gas station is located in the same area where an In-N-Out closed its only location in Oakland back in March because of the surge in crime and for the safety of their customers. In February, a Texas attorney offered a $10,000 reward after her son, who had been refueling his rental car, was robbed at gunpoint at the same gas station.
At the time, Mardaie said, "It's crazy. I mean it's a daily thing. It hasn't been a day since we opened in August that we don't have an incident. I come from Yemen, a third world country and we don't have those incidents in a third world country where there's no law and order."
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Comments
2024-07-07T15:51-0500 | Comment by: Harry
What do you expect in the state of Calizuela / Mexifornia (your choice) ??
2024-07-07T20:15-0500 | Comment by: Lynn
So welcoming millions of criminal migrants, and getting rid of our own law enforcement isn't working? Who'd have thunk?
2024-07-08T07:00-0500 | Comment by: Carlton
If the so call ,car show, events were shut down , vehicles impounded and criminals jailed for a minimum of 2 years ,no parole ,problem solved . If looters were shot on sight problem solved .
2024-07-08T07:05-0500 | Comment by: Carlton
If the so call ,car show, events were shut down , vehicles impounded and criminals jailed for a minimum of 2 years ,no parole ,problem solved . If looters were shot on sight problem solved .