ALAMEDA COUNTY, Calif. (KRON) — A laundromat business owner has moved his entire family out of the Bay Area. His businesses may soon follow.
The problem?
A wave of crime. And there is video proof.
“They had a stolen truck,” said laundromat owner Derek Thoms who relocated from the East Bay to Alabama. “They back through, right through the front of the laundromat. So, they were going after the atm on that one.”
You hear reports that some folks are thinking about leaving the Bay Area. You can count laundromat owner Derek Thoms is among those that actually made that move.
Surveillance videos show of some of the reasons why.
“It’s just crime everywhere, that’s prompted us to move,” Thoms said.
In fact, since the beginning of the year, all of his family-owned laundromats have been targeted by burglars in Oakland, San Leandro, Hayward, Alameda, and Berkeley — where the video (above) was recorded.
Thoms said he recently sold his Berkeley location.
He says last Friday, Saturday, and Sunday his Lake Merritt laundromat was targeted by thieves.
“Three days in a row,” Thom said.
His family has been in the laundromat business in East Bay for 45 years. He personally got into the business close to 6 years ago and has never seen anything like this.
“I’m in year 6 right now. The first five years there was nothing,” Thoms said.
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He says with Oakland police having their hands full responding to violent crimes, reporting what’s happening to his businesses is virtually impossible.
Thoms can’t take it anymore. This past June, his entire family moved out of the Bay Area — some to Hawaii and the vast majority to Alabama.
