Oakland police turn to social media to help combat car burglaries

By KTVU staff

Published October 25, 2023 6:42am PDT

Oakland Police Department

OPD to try out social media campaign to curb car burglaries

Oakland police are trying a new approach to fighting auto burglaries with the help of social media.

OAKLAND, Calif. - Oakland police are trying a new approach to fighting auto burglaries with the help of the public.

Police on Tuesday announced they are setting up social media accounts this weekend on X and Instagram.

They're asking if people see a car burglary they should post that information on @OaklandAutoBurg, either in a thread or message.

And that information will go out instantly to OPD officers in the field.

"This weekend we're going to have plainclothes, decoys, air assets," Asst. Chief Tony Jones said at a news conference. "What we can to do is catch as many people as we possibly can burglarizing cars in the city."

If the program works, officials say it may continue past this weekend.

The latest numbers show auto burglaries are up 36% from 2022 with more than 11,000 this year alone.