Oakland shop hit by 13th burglary despite city's drop in crime

OAKLAND, Calif. - A family-owned tobacco shop in Oakland was victimized for the 13th time after burglars rammed a car into the shop and stole cigarettes.

The family has run Lucky 7 Cigarettes in Oakland's Little Saigon neighborhood for more than\ 20 years, but the shop has experienced more than a dozen burglaries in recent years.

Despite feeling punished, the owners continue to operate the business.

The latest break-in happened Tuesday around 3 a.m., with surveillance video capturing the burglars using an Acura RDX to break through the security gate at East 12th Street and Seventh Avenue.

After the theft, the burglars fled, some by car and others on foot.

Oakland police said they caught two suspects who tried to run away.

Ket Trinh, the owner, said through an interpreter that the recent burglary cost the family tens of thousands of dollars.

Trinh is uncertain how much longer the business can stay open given the repeated financial hits.

Even with the strain of repeated repairs, barely breaking even, and trouble paying rent, Lisa Trinh says her brother, who is raising an 11-year-old daughter and has a health condition, may have to keep the business running.

"Every hit that's been made. It's been re-traumatizing for them. Like they can't sleep thinking how can this possibly happen to them again," the family's interpreter said.

Meanwhile, Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao and Assistant Police Chief James Beere announced a 55% reduction in burglaries citywide compared to the previous year. They sympathized with the owners of Lucky 7 Cigarettes.

"Our officers wake up every day, work hard to ensure that we apprehend suspects," said Thao.

Beere said, "I do realize when you're Lucky 7 and you've been burglarized multiple times, it doesn't feel like an improvement to you. But a lot of other merchants have actually expressed they feel safer and they've experienced less burglaries."

Both Thao and Beere recognized that there is more work to be done to tackle both violent and property crime.

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