Criminals target almost a dozen cars in smash-and-grab string near Oakland International Airport

Almost a dozen vehicles were targeted in an hour at a shopping center mere minutes away from Oakland International Airport as smash-and-grab crimes continue to ravage California.

Oakland Airport Plaza is fast becoming a favorite location for looters due to its quiet ambiance as shoppers grab last-minute goods before catching their flights, according to a report.

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“They’re doing it when people are still in the car,” an airport worker, who maintains he saw the string of break-ins occur, said. “Crazy.”

The action of forcing their way in and pillaging vehicles has become so common for criminals in the area that it has earned the title “bipping and boosting.”

To mitigate the break-ins, the Oakland Airport Plaza has installed steel barriers in an effort to block one exit that criminals use to get away, the report noted.

“From Monday and Thursday when the police are not here … there are all sorts of crimes,” a plaza employee said.

During some break-ins, the burglars even enter the cars with the drivers inside, which is what happened when Tyson Wrensch parked his Buick SUV in the plaza earlier in the year, only to have it robbed.

“It’s one thing to come out and find your car broken into, and you’re upset,” Wrensch said. “It’s another thing to be in your car and have it broken into. I mean, how can anyone feel safe anymore?”

Break-ins at the plaza have now garnered police attention, the report noted.

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“Unfortunately, the area in and around 98th Avenue and Bigge Street has historically seen auto burglaries,” according to an Oakland Police Department spokesperson.

“The Oakland Police Department continues to address auto burglaries across the city, with overtime details providing an increased presence in high-target areas.”