"Despite taking repeated steps to create safer conditions, our Customers and Associates are regularly victimized by car break-ins, property damage, theft, and armed robberies," Chief Operating Officer Denny Warnick told Oakland’s ABC7 News. "We are grateful for the local community, which has supported us for over 18 years, and we recognize that this closure negatively impacts our associates and their families,” he said. “Additionally, this location remains a busy and profitable one for the company, but our top priority must be the safety and wellbeing of our Customers and Associates — we cannot ask them to visit or work in an unsafe environment.” March 24 will be the last day of operation for the restaurant, which is located just over two miles from the Oakland International Airport. A security guard with Allied Universal told The San Francisco Standard they take more theft reports at the In-N-Out than at any other location they patrol. Smash and grab thefts are a frequent occurrence in the area, with attackers targeting vehicles suspected to be rental cars used by travelers to or from the airport. A guard with Brosnan Risk Consultants told the Standard his company sees multiple break-ins at the fast-food chain daily. “On a regular day, I’d say five,” the guard told the Standard, speaking on condition of anonymity. “On a bad day, I can’t even get a report in because it’s back-to-back.” Employees at the restaurant will have the option to move to another location, or to receive a severance package. Data released by Oakland city officials show that robberies increased 38 percent from 2022 to 2023. Burglaries have risen 23 percent and motor vehicle thefts are up 44 percent. The crime surge has sparked calls for Mayor Sheng Thao to declare a state of emergency. "It's just chaos... and the city just cannot afford the chaos," retired Alameda County Judge Brenda Harbin-Forte told ABC7 while speaking of the high crime rates and the city’s lack of a police chief. "So you know I have to say that this Mayor has blood on our hands and we just can't afford to have her in office any longer," she said.Oakland’s only In-N-Out is permanently closing its doors with its corporate leaders citing high crime rates as the reason why.
