Oakland Shop Hit by 13th Burglary Despite City's Claims of Dropping Crime

OAKLAND, Calif. — For the thirteenth time in recent years, a family-owned business in Oakland's Little Saigon neighborhood has been left to clean up shattered glass and twisted metal after a brazen vehicle-ramming burglary. The incident at Lucky 7 Cigarettes, located at the corner of East 12th Street and Seventh Avenue, has once again underscored the deep frustrations of local merchants who say their plight contradicts city assertions of a downward trend in crime.

The break-in occurred around 3:00 a.m. on Tuesday, October 29, 2024. Surveillance footage captured a dark-colored Acura RDX backing aggressively into the storefront, easily breaching the metal security gates and smashing through the glass doors. Once inside, multiple masked suspects rushed in, ransacking the shop and stealing cigarettes and other inventory before fleeing the scene.

Fortunately, Oakland Police Department (OPD) officers were patrolling nearby and responded rapidly. Officers managed to apprehend two suspects who attempted to run from the scene. However, for the store's owners, who have operated the business for more than two decades, the arrest offers little comfort against the heavy financial and psychological toll of recurring victimization.

“It's re-traumatizing every single time,” the owners shared in the aftermath. Over the last few years, the store has been hit repeatedly, including ten break-ins in the three-year period leading up to mid-2023. Each incident leaves the family with thousands of dollars in property damage, rising insurance premiums, and lost revenue, putting the future of the long-standing business in serious jeopardy.

The burglary comes at a politically sensitive time, as Oakland city leaders and Mayor Sheng Thao have frequently pointed to statistics indicating a decrease in overall property crimes. For the owners of Lucky 7 Cigarettes and other merchants in Little Saigon, these statistics do not reflect the ground reality of running a retail business in the city. The Little Saigon district has been particularly hard-hit, prompting business groups to repeatedly call for a permanent police presence and more robust municipal support to protect local commerce.