'Too little, too late' - East Oaklanders disappointed In-N-Out is closing

OAKLAND, Calif. - East Oakland residents are disappointed to find out the only "In-N-Out" in the city is closing. The popular burger joint blames car break-ins and theft.

The restaurant on Oakport Steet is in one of the hotspot areas for crime, near 98th Avenue and Hegenberger and it’s an area criminals know they can find unsuspecting tourists coming from the airport.

Although In-N-Out said it’s been a profitable location for 18 years, they just can’t ask their employees or customers to work and visit an unsafe environment. 

While customers aren’t shocked to hear the restaurant is shutting down, many said the city didn’t do enough.

"You can’t even leave your car right here to go in there, within one minute your stuff is getting smashed," said Duane Tatum, who was born and raised in East Oakland. "The parking lot is filled with glass."

"I love this place. I hate to see it go," said Stanley Simmons, who said his daughter worked at the In-N-Out years ago.

On Sunday morning, as In-N-Out executives announced the closure, Oakland police said they arrested someone for removing an ATM from the wall at the Bank of America less than half a mile away.

Just a couple hundred feet away at the Raising Cane’s on Hegenberger, a manager said the restaurant was forced to close their indoor dining area and provide employees with a secure fence for parking, all due to break ins.

"It seems like another thing is closing in Oakland, another thing is leaving Oakland, and I get it now – people aren’t trying to deal with this, but we’re the ones, East Oaklanders, that really suffer," said Tatum.

Oakland residents blame city leadership.

"The crime’s getting worse, so the city really needs to help us out," said Simmons.

"You’re finally now just starting to see police around here but it’s too little, too late," said Tatum.

Meanwhile, Oakland police said they are actively working on a crime reduction plan in the airport area and they’ve seen progress. They know the area is a problem, so they increased the number of patrols and started working with a private security team hired by the Oakland airport for 24/7 monitoring last year. Additionally, three strategically placed eye-in-the-sky cameras in and around the area. The contract for extra security ended on January 14, 2024.  

OPD said in 2023, they saw a 23% reduction in auto burglaries around Hegenberger and 98th Avenue, compared to 2022. 

Despite all the effort, after the In-N-Out on Oakport Street closes on March 24, customers will have to travel to Alameda or San Leandro to get their double doubles.

"I hate to go way out of the way when I can go right here," said Simmons, who lives in East Oakland. 

OPD said their command team alongside Councilmember Treva Reid continue to meet with businesses in the area and are working to make it a safer place for Oakland residents and tourists. 

"OPD remains committed to maintaining this positive downward trend in collaboration with local businesses," said a spokesperson with OPD.