Eddie's Drive-In Liquors in Rockridge Hit Four Times by Car-Ramming Burglars

OAKLAND, Calif. — A family-owned business in Oakland’s upscale Rockridge neighborhood has been pushed to its limit after being targeted by "car-ramming" burglars for the fourth time in a short span of months. Eddie's Drive-In Liquors, located at 5491 College Avenue, is the latest casualty of a destructive "crash-and-grab" crime wave sweeping the East Bay.

The most recent incident occurred around 3:50 a.m. on Tuesday, January 30, 2024. Security camera footage captured the destructive entry: a pickup truck was driven in reverse repeatedly, smashing through the storefront's glass double doors and bending the metal safety frames. Once the path was cleared, several individuals leaped out of the vehicle and stormed the shop, rummaging through the counter area to locate high-end liquor, cigarettes, cash registers, and the store safe.

Co-owner David Shrestha voiced his deep exhaustion and frustration following the repeated break-ins, which included devastating attacks on major holidays like Thanksgiving Day and Christmas night in late 2023. “It's not just the stolen items, it's the constant cost of repairs and the feeling of insecurity,” Shrestha remarked. The recurrent damage to the storefront has cost the business tens of thousands of dollars in structural repairs and replacement security doors.

This brazen style of burglary, where suspects utilize stolen cars or heavy trucks as battering rams, has become an alarmingly frequent trend in Oakland. Retailers, gas station convenience stores, and supermarkets have faced similar attacks, prompting some business owners to install heavy concrete bollards on sidewalks. However, owners note that finding affordable or city-approved security measures remains a bureaucratic and financial hurdle.

Oakland Police are reviewing security footage from Eddie’s Liquors and surrounding College Avenue merchants to identify the suspects and the vehicle involved. The department continues to investigate whether these incidents are linked to a single organized ring operating across the East Bay.