OAKLAND (KCBS RADIO) – All seven businesses at a strip mall in Oakland's Little Saigon neighborhood were ransacked early Monday and suffered "significant" losses, according to Oakland police.
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The burglaries occurred at approximately 4 a.m. at International Plaza, located at 9th Avenue and International Boulevard. The businesses include a laundromat, nail salon, flower shop, restaurant, dessert shop, beauty gift shop and water-supply station, as reported by the San Francisco Chronicle.
Oakland Police Chief LeRonne Armstrong said police were not contacted about the incidents until 6:20 a.m. and by the time officers arrived on site, the businesses were already hit.
However, one of the merchants, Nolan Wong, told the paper that his alarm company notified police at 4:30 a.m. and a neighbor told him they called them at 6:08 a.m. Police did not arrive until 7:15 a.m., according to Wong.
In addition, Wong said his surveillance footage revealed approximately five thieves broke into his business by sawing a hole through the roof. They stole thousands of dollars from his coin machine. He arrived at 6:30 a.m. and found his "whole place was ransacked."
Wong also told the paper the video showed the suspects were there for at least 90 minutes and were "casually walking back and forth toward the front" of the store while apparently loading items into their vehicle. Footage shared with KTVU showed one of the thieves returning to an unhoused person and giving him some spare change.
Armstrong maintained that police were not notified until well after the crimes took place.
"It's a challenge at 4 a.m. in the morning," Armstrong said on Monday. "If we don't get a call when these crimes are in progress, two hours after these crimes have occurred, it's very difficult for us to respond and apprehend the suspect."
Armstrong added that the department has reassigned resources to the area, including a Vietnamese speaking liaison officer.
An investigation remains ongoing. Armstrong asked anybody in the community with further information to contact Oakland police.
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