Your stats tend to change when you either omit or add something. Common sense, right?

We’re not stupid, Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao.

Thao’s city is in disarray. She tried to portray it as a city with crime under control, except she didn’t include robberies and home invasions in her “good” news:

“The robberies, the commercial burglaries, you know, the bipping, all that has gone down, it’s trending down,” said Thao, using a term commonly used to refer to auto burglaries.

But it’s also notable what the mayor didn’t report. According to Oakland police figures, robberies are up 40% year to date compared to the same time frame last year, with home invasions going from 8 to 18 so far this year – a 125% increase.

And stats aren’t of any comfort to crime victims. At Temescal Alley, a trendy North Oakland shopping spot where burglars recently broke into five businesses, merchants are frustrated, with some complaining Oakland police didn’t show up for hours.

And when officers did come – as they have in previous break-ins there – all they could do was document what happened, after the fact.

“We call the police so many times but the only thing they do is write notes, make a report, but inothing’s happening. Nothing’s being done about it,” said Danny Paredes, property manager for Temescal Alley.

Crime in @oakland business districts has gone down in the past couple of months compared to the same time frame in recent years, says @MayorShengThao. But home invasions are up – and some say perception may not match reality. 4 p.m. @KTVU. @PPICNotes expert weighs in, 5,6 p.m. pic.twitter.com/PUJ1TASlR5

— Henry K. Lee (@henrykleeKTVU) March 5, 2024

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