Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee is the latest victim of crime in the city. On Monday, someone broke into the mayor’s office, took the keys to her government-issued vehicle, and drove off with the car. The vehicle was found hours later in Vallejo. No suspect has been identified.
“As with criminal cases such as this, the Oakland Police Department is actively investigating, and we cannot comment further at this time,” Lee said in a statement. “No one in Oakland should have to worry about their car being stolen, whether they’re a resident, a city worker, or the Mayor. Public safety is a priority across our entire city.”
As unacceptable as it may be, this is the reality of living and working in Oaktown. Lee’s predecessor, Sheng Thao, also experienced a car break-in while serving as mayor.
Oakland has historically struggled with high crime rates, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic. Vehicle-related crimes are especially common. In 2024, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) launched an initiative to combat auto theft and property crime in the city. CHP recovered 887 stolen vehicles and made hundreds of arrests.
More recent data from 2025 show a significant decrease in vehicle-related crimes. Despite that decrease, car theft in Oakland is still estimated to cost tens of millions of dollars per year.