2,213 Stolen Vehicles Recovered, Retail Theft Crackdown, Sideshows Busted: Blitz

OAKLAND, CA — A weekend blitz operation targeting sideshows in the East Bay ended with 22 arrests and three dozen vehicles seized, according to Gov. Gavin Newsom's office.

Led by the California Highway Patrol, the latest operation is part of a broader "enforcement surge" designed to improve public safety in Oakland and elsewhere in Alameda County. According to Newsom's office, the blitzes have resulted in 2,213 stolen vehicles recovered, 1,125 suspects arrested, and 110 illegal guns seized since February.

Officials said a CHP aircraft spotted a sideshow underway early Sunday at 98th and Edes avenues in Oakland. Using live surveillance from the air and cameras on the ground, ground units chased one of the vehicles over the Bay Bridge and arrested two suspects.

Later the same day, a CHP helicopter reported a sideshow under Interstate 880. Officers allege spectators were shining lasers as law enforcement attempted to break up the sideshow, leading to 14 arrests and six vehicles towed and impounded. Further investigation led to multiple search warrants and additional vehicle seizures, the CHP said.

"Our recent work in Oakland should send a strong message that lawlessness and crime will not be tolerated in our state," Newsom said Wednesday. "I thank our CHP officers for their work on the ground to help the East Bay safer for all its residents."

The partnership focuses on several aspects of public safety, including retail crime, sideshows and stolen vehicles, responding to state data that found "crime spiked considerably" in Alameda County last year. According to the governor's office, Alameda County had the highest rates of homicide, violent crime and property crime of California's 10 largest counties.

In July, Newsom further ramped up efforts in the East Bay, sending more CHP officers to Oakland and quadrupling the number of shifts to assist local agencies with criminal activities. Last month, the state finished installing a new network of highway cameras for law enforcement to track the whereabouts of potential suspects.

"The dedicated men and women of the CHP are working tirelessly to combat crime, improve public safety, and hold sideshow participants accountable for their reckless actions," CHP Commissioner Sean Duryee said. "We remain committed to ensuring the streets of Oakland are safer for everyone, and we will continue to use every tool at our disposal to uphold the law and protect our residents."

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