Over 2 dozen seniors robbed, attacked in Oakland in just 1 week

Nearly 30 Asian seniors living in a neighborhood in Oakland have been violently robbed and attacked in just one week, significantly more than the 13 reported cases, Sister Marie Taylor, president of the Westlake Christian Terrace resident council, told ABC7. Oakland Police reported receiving 83 robbery reports between June 25 and July 1, adding that there was no particular reason for the surge in the city.

Elders attacked: “Not only do you grab their purse but you beat them brutally. We had several who had to be taken to the emergency, one broke the wrist. We had police here almost seven hours filing reports. Then it continued on Sunday with more. Multiple residents being attacked,” Taylor said. About 700 elders, with an average age of 85, live on the block of 28th Street north of Lake Merritt, where Westlake Christian Terrace, an assisted living facility, is located.
Community’s response: The Oakland Police Department and Commands Captain Lisa Ausmus said that reporting made a difference in the cases, noting how they “haven’t had any robberies in 2 days” after deploying a team following Taylor’s alert. Authorities also advised senior residents to walk in larger groups during the daytime when going out. The surge of robberies targeting the Asian elderly community in Oakland prompted over 50 residents to organize a gathering on Wednesday to support each other.

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