Chinatown residents and business owners are calling for a stronger response from city leaders following a series of smash-and-grab robberies that have left storefronts shattered and the community shaken. In the span of just a few days, culprits used a U-Haul truck to ram two banks and a truck to barrel through the storefront of Kim Tin Jewelry, causing significant injuries to the store owner and damaging the vibrant area’s sense of security.
At a news conference reported by KTVU, Stephanie Tran, president of the Oakland Chinatown Chamber of Commerce, said, “This is not just property crime, this is an attack on the vitality of Oakland Chinatown.” Simultaneously, another group gathered outside Sterling Bank, protesting to “Save our streets!” Pushing for immediate action, they demanded an increased police presence and even called for the California National Guard’s aid to stabilize the situation.
In one of these incidents, the owner of Kim Tin Jewelry found himself pinned against the back wall as robbers crashed into his store. His son, Jason Dao, told the San Francisco Chronicle, “This could have potentially been a fatal attack.” Dao continues to raise funds to support his parents after the violent robbery left the shop closed and with losses in the tens of thousands in merchandise…