An Oakland business owner is picking up items after his boutique was broken into and thousands of dollars worth of merchandise was taken on Sunday morning.
The incident occurred as small businesses and local residents supporting safety held a solidarity rally downtown.
I received a message at the Taylor Jay store on Broadway in Oakland on my way to church on Easter Sunday.
“So we immediately rushed in here and looked at the glass,” she said.
The incident was captured on the store's security camera.
“They took our POS system and took away racks of clothing. He also used his own suitcase, which we had loaded in the back, when we traveled for pop-ups. . He stuffed them too,” Jay said.
They are currently recovering at least $20,000 worth of missing items.
“Just being a business owner in Oakland has been tough. The past few years have been really, really tough for me, my fellow business owners, and the community who fear for their safety,” Jay said. said.
They meet with businesses, go to the field, and strive to be creative for their communities and customers.
“And we just want to be supported. We want people to listen to our stories and feel like we matter. We don't close our shops because of crime or trauma. There's no need to keep going,'' Jay said.
On Sunday, small businesses and community members gathered near Oakland City Hall for a solidarity rally called “Heart of Oakland” to unite Oakland, its residents, businesses and the resources it needs to succeed.
“We're basically coming out to demonstrate that things aren't working and that we need to make them work.”
“This is a way for us to come out and support each other and say we love Oakland and we need to move in a different direction. We need to stand up for it, and it's all our responsibility,” said Oakland resident Annie Campbell Washington.
This includes calls to support neighborhoods, restaurants, small businesses and shops.
The City of Oakland recently hired a new police chief and developed a public safety strategy. The state is stepping up efforts to crack down on crime.
For Jay's business, she wants to see that change firsthand.
“We're investing a lot in this city and building a very strong brand within the community. We want to be here, we want to succeed here, we want to thrive here,” she said. said.
