15 stolen cars recovered in East Oakland auto-theft raid
Stolen cars targeted in East Oakland raids
Two suspects were arrested and 15 stolen vehicles were recovered during Alameda County task-force operation.
OAKLAND, Calif. - A big auto-theft raid in East Oakland early Thursday led to two arrests and the seizure of 15 stolen cars.
The operation happened in the area of Prune, Pearmain and Pippin streets off 98th Avenue, a known hot-spot for chop shops and stolen-car activity.
Several agencies involved
The backstory:
The investigation was led by the Alameda County Regional Auto Theft Task Force, known as ACRATT, involving Oakland police, CHP and the sheriff's office.
The suspects were arrested on suspicion of auto theft and grand theft. A number of weapons, commercial equipment and generators were also seized.
Code enforcement officers also arrived on scene.
Some law enforcement officers wore masks after deploying gas during the raids.
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"That spot on Pearmain, that whole area's been a hotspot, and business owners have been really upset for a long time," said Marc Hinch, a former CHP auto-theft investigator who still looks for stolen cars as a private investigator.
Hinch said auto theft is a serious, gateway crime. Stolen cars have often been used by burglars to ram into stores in the middle of the night.
"Auto theft is one of these crimes that lead to everything," Hinch said "All these gas-station robberies you're seeing, all these break-ins, all these robberies of people in Oakland."
Gas tanker truck seized in earlier raid
What they're saying:
The neighborhood is well-known to law enforcement. Earlier this year, a raid of a chop shop near 100th Avenue and Pearmain uncovered eight stolen vehicles, including a gas tanker truck. Among those busted in that operation was a suspect in an Oakland homicide.
Henry Lee is a KTVU crime reporter, E-mail Henry at Henry.Lee@fox.com and follow him on Twitter @henrykleeKTVU and www.facebook.com/henrykleefan
The Source: KTVU reporting, ACRATT