OAKLAND, Calif. (KRON) — Two arrests have been made in connection to recent armed power tool robberies in Oakland, according to a news release from the Oakland Police Department. Oakland police cite a spike in armed power tool thefts over the past four months. In 2023, OPD has already investigated four such cases.
On Jan. 24, the OPD Violent Crime Operations Center and the US Marshals arrested a person linked to several Oakland power tool robberies. In a separate incident, another person was arrested on Jan. 10 for an unrelated armed power tool theft.
Investigators with the OPD Criminal Investigation Division (CID) are working on both of these cases and connecting with law enforcement agencies in other cities to determine if there are any connections to similar open cases, OPD’s news release stated.
Police warn that construction and service contractors may be targeted by these types of thieves due to the easily identifiable company logos on their vans and trucks.
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Oakland police recommend the following safety tips to minimize the risk of having your tools stolen:
- Always be aware of your surroundings, especially when loading/unloading tools from your van or truck
- Always close the windows and lock the doors when leaving your vehicle
- Engrave your name or your company’s name and phone number on your tools
- Remove batteries from your tools — this makes selling them more difficult
- If you leave your tools in an open area, lock them up with harden-steel security chains and high-quality padlocks
- Add GPS trackers to your tools
- Never leave your tools in plain view in the backseat of a vehicle, or bed of a truck
Oakland PD continues to deploy additional officers in areas of the city impacted by these types of crimes, the OPD press release states. Anyone who has been a victim of this type of crime or has information related to one, is asked to call (510) 238-3426.
