Feel sorry for the person who lost his laptop. I agree with Tanya Anderson of the Hudson Bay Cafe. This is nothing new in big cities. I remember in the mid-90s, after laptop has become popular with the Cafe crowd, there were lots of articles written on how to secure one's laptop in the cafe environment.

I think computer store sells locks that chain the laptop to the table, and of course, Rule number one is to never leave one's laptop unattended without security.

No surprise on the robberies other than it happening sooner to more people. This is a crime of opportunity for these young kids. So easy for them. Just go into a coffee place, 4 strong, intimidate the customers and take a laptop or two. Remember the restaurant robberies last year(?). A gang of kids enter an eatery close t closing, rob the patrons and the restaurant. Ad nausem. Ad infinitum.

I think that the passive/agressive nature of folks functioning outside of the home really needs a reality check.  I'm a NY transplant living in the SF Bay area for 14 years.  

I'm a resident of West Oakland though I used to live on Hudson Street near College Avenue less than 4 years ago.  Folks need to recognize that there is a lot of crime that is perpetrated utilizing the basis of the predatory-thug style theft.    

I happen to be of  black and hispanic ethnicity.  I don't always trust everyone but I'm not afraid of them either.  And maybe it's my upbringing but I typically can spot people that are up to something that isn't patronage of a business.  

I am always aware of my surroundings at all times.

Some things I don't do?  handling valuable electronics in public (use headphones for my Iphone and don't just languish with my Ipad at a coffee bar, even if I am seated in an area that isn't easily accessible).

Whether you agree with that or not, I recognize a neighbor of mine got robbed because they could see her flat-screen television because her blinds were wide open.  So another thing I don't do is eaving my blinds in my home open whether at home or not so folks can't see what I own and invite themselves to steal it when I'm away. 

OPD isn't to be counted on since they are ill-equipped and have their hands full with gang violence in East Oakland and drug dealing and other crime in West Oakland.   Not to mention that people don't have jobs or money so of course stealing expensive electronic devices from yuppies is something that many of them think is an easy marked crime.    Just my 2 cents.  

Perhaps these businesses might benefit from locks at these locations.  Laptop users have the ability to lock their computers and when our guard is down, we tend to get comfortable and the last thing we're thinking about is people taking our things right out from underneath our very eyes.

Carol, understand the prevention idea and have practiced it myself in the 40 years since i traded Bklyn for different parts of mostly lower Oakland. As a result have been a victim of very minor crimes maybe 4 times at most.

On my occasional visits back to the homecountry, I get the impression that the intricately developed network of security self and neighbor help we have here is mostly an adaptation to the failure of  Oakland government to provide the basic security that NYC and most other cities (not counting Flint MI and parts of Newark) take for granted. 

It's not a put down of self help tips, NCPC's, or Neighborhood Watch groups but a comment on on our collective acceptance of very high crime thru out wide areas of town. We should not need to be devoting so much of our energy to scanning the street, locking our windows, reporting suspicious people to each other on websites.

Len Raphael, 4922 Desmond

Carol,  totally agree with your precautions. Flaunting what you have when others have not means some might want to change that balance.  These precautions don't negate the need for safety and/or police presence, but they are wise.

These muggings for laptops and phones have been happening in other neighborhoods than Rockridge for a long time, sadly without press. Woody's Cafe and Woody's Laundromat have been hit multiple times, one of the events was at gunpoint. They held a gun on patrons while they removed their laptops. (And Woody's does have laptop locks) A recent smart phone mugging included at least one accomplice.

Hard-working Oakland folks should be able to work in a cafe with their laptop without being at risk of being attacked. That's what laptops are for, mobile working. The whole idea of "people who have less than you" are the ones attacking you premise is a fallacy. Many times the youths perpetuating these attacks do it because they want quick cash and an easy ride, not because they are starving. Often it has to do with expensive drug addiction, as well. When I was mugged, it wasn't by anyone poor. Raising entitled kids without values perhaps has more to do with it.

Regarding the Cafe Zoe robbery, it is insane that a group of citizens tried to help themselves and the cops let a perpetrator go because he wasn't the one with the stolen property. The criminals know that there are no consequences. We should all be writing Jane Brunner and Quan, and complaining to the police about this. 

Some of these comments show how we've become immune to the amount of crime that we have to tolerate here... reality has been tweaked: don't use computers or phones in public because there are local have-nots!?? I feel like I've entered the progressive twilight zone (and I'm a liberal!). What, does everyone feel they deserve it because they can afford to live in Rockridge so therefore their loved ones deserve to become prey?! It's insane, and we've got to do something about it. The predators KNOW that there is no police presence here. Also, this is blaming the victim... just because YOU don't use a laptop in public, you think you're safe? Well these "kids" are breaking into homes, cars, mugging people by gunpoint during the day, etc... don't just assume it won't happen to you or someone you care about because you've tweaked your behavior.

I wish my neighbors would band together and hire private security.   

Galaxy

I understand your concerns. For my part, I tweak my behavior to fit the environment. I don't assume that my safety is guaranteed because I am vigilant. However, I don't feel that it's such a burden when it has became a habit.

Maybe Oakland Local can research further on  why the suspect was released (Could he have been charged with being an accomplice or help police identify the perpetrator.) So far we only have the victim's version of the story.

Having said that, OPD has room to improve, even giving the diminishing resources and budget.

However I also recognized that this is the kind of "risk" that we take for living in a urban center of a relatively "free" society.

By our standards,  Singapore and I think, most muslim countries  have harsh punishment for small crimes. Singapore has good public safety record.

After balancing the pros and cons, I personally prefer to live with American style of "full due process of the laws" as a right than to live in other countries of different legal culture.