Children (minors) Swarm and Rob passengers on BART train in Oakland Ca.
A recent string of robberies on BART trains took a frightening turn when dozens of juveniles swarmed an Oakland station over the weekend and commandeered a train car, forcing passengers to hand over bags and cell phones and leaving at least two with head injuries, witnesses told the transit agency.
The incident — the first of its kind in recent memory — occurred around 9:30 p.m. Saturday at Coliseum Station.
According to police officials, witnesses said 40 to 60 juveniles flooded the station, jumped the fare gates and rushed to the second-story train platform. Some of the robbers apparently held open the doors of a Dublin-bound train car while others streamed inside, confronting and robbing and in some cases beating riders.
The juveniles “committed multiple strong-arm robberies of bags and cell phones,” said a police summary prepared after the incident. “At least two victims suffered head/facial injuries requiring medical attention.
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The police are going to have to be more "present" at these stations, like they are in NYC. I'd like to see a gang of kids try this at Penn Station.
And what does this say about our society?
Very troubling indeed.
I wonder if kids in other States will find out about this ,and follow suit.....I sure hope not.
Sad and scary !!
What's gotten into some of these kids? I hope the police can protect the riders from this kind of abuse! These are working men and women who are just trying to get to where they need to be... They don't need to be threatened!
OK, so I almost asked a stupid question of if Oakland had a transit police department, but they are covered by The BART Police. So where were they? In L.A. Sheriff's deputies ride many of the trains and buses and patrol the stations, though the LAPD is taking that over now. We have had to go to the train station downtown several times and there was always a presence there and at the Hollywood subway station. Of course that was a big tourist area so there was always a big LAPD presence above ground in the area too. For the most part traveling the buses and trains in LA is pretty safe. Is it a budget problem?
randy I think that's a good question , but due to my experience it could also have something to do with jurisdiction since it is mass transit , and the different jurisdictions of a combination of county , city , town and state and even the transit authority.
it is possible that even with all those jurisdictions , some things find a crack to fall through.
Don't guess, just read here:
There is supposed to be police there.
thanx perrie , from what I read , the jurisdiction covers just over 2600 square miles ( 4 different ca counties)
with a population of just over 4 million residents, with 296 officers 206 being sworn and 90 unsworn. for some reason I keep hearing the name Custer.....
it appears that officers have to keep an eye on 13513 people per officer if everyone in the population decided to use the transit system, it sounds to me like management is using its limited man power in the high profile areas of possible trouble.
I'll just add an off topic comment. Since I spent a lot of time in Oakland, I found ''Fat Lady's'' bar just outside of Jack London Square very enjoyable.
Mostly Longies and Bikers it was a great ''blue collar'' bar or no collar, or no shirt at times.
Don't know if it's still open, but back in the day it was the ''in spot'' for the working man/women or local gangsta's or homies.
Well their website says that they are hiring. Perhaps recruitment is not so good? Or it doesn't pay well? Maybe benefits are not so good? Who knows. I mean if I were 40 years younger I might take a look at it, but it is a dangerous job, without the same respect as is given to the SFPD or the Oakland Department. I would think that many young officers are there just looking at it as a place to collect some experience and training, and waiting, like it's a stepping stone, for any opening in the SFPD or LAPD or elsewhere. It'd better pay as good and offer as good of benefits as the SFPD or they'll always have a shortage of officers from some leaving for other departments, in or out of the state.
Fat Lady's is hiring!!!!! Good news Randy...
But I'm not working! LOL!