Oakland residents increasingly buying bulletproof glass due to rise in violent crime, theft: report

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In Oakland, California, one business is seeing an upsurge in requests for "bulletproof glass," according to a local news report.

"The bulletproof glass is 3/8th inch all the way to 2.5 inches, general manager of East Bay Glass, Joshua Pratchard, told ABC7 News. 

"Video from manufacturer Armitek, which provides glass to Easy Bay Glass and installers across the country, shows how multiple shots aren't enough to penetrate the product," the report continued. 

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In Oakland, California, one business is seeing an upsurge in requests for "bulletproof glass," according to ABC7 News.  (Adobe Stock // Fox 32 Chicago)

Oakland residents have been subject to a rise in violent crime and theft across the Bay Area, with smash-and-grab robberies and reports of assaults on employees have been soaring. According to Oakland police, the city’s entire violent crime category increased 21% between 2022 to 2023.

"We are asking for public safety measures from all different government levels, city, county, state and federal governments," Carl Chan, president of Oakland Chinatown's Chamber of Commerce, said during a strike in September.

"It feels like another pandemic," Sarah Ryan, managing partner of Mexican restaurant Calavera, told Fox News Digital. "We're calling for people to come in and visit our business so that we can stay in business. We are on a street that should be bustling all the time, and the foot traffic is just gone."

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Pratchard told ABC7 News that while the rise in crime was helpful for his business, the resulting loss in law and order a "double-edged sword." (iStock)

ABC7 News has also covered stories of violent crime in the Bay Area. "In September, a mother of two was killed as she slept when stray bullets were fired into her home in the Laurel neighborhood," the outlet wrote. 

"A man who requested anonymity says a bullet flew into his apartment Sunday, moments after he and his partner moved in. Around a dozen rounds also went through a vehicle and home along MacArthur Boulevard on Monday."

"It's just sad the condition the community has gone in," Pratchard said, also giving the cost of bulletproof glass.

"It's roughly $100 to $120 a square foot," he continued. "There's glass that goes up to $350 a square foot. That is not with the installation."

Pratchard told ABC7 News that while the rise in crime was helpful for his business, the resulting loss in law and order a "double-edged sword."

"It's good for business but it's not the kind of business you're happy to take on," he said. "It's sad."

The Oakland Police Department did not respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital. 

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Fox News' Jamie Joseph contributed to this report.