If you live in Oakland, California and have a hankering for a Cheesy Gordita Crunch, you’ll need to have your credit card handy and be prepared for a decent car line.
Actually, if you live in Oakland, figuring out where to get a quick burrito is probably the least of your problems - I'm thinking dodging all the bullets and keeping your car from getting jacked ranks a bit higher on the daily list of to-dos. But it's still notable that at least four Taco Bells across Oakland are going cashless and shutting down their indoor restaurants, asking customers to instead exclusively use the drive-thru for food orders. The reason? “Safety concerns” thanks to the area’s skyrocketing crime.
A spokesperson for Taco Bell told KTVU that the decision to close the area restaurants’ dining rooms was made by the franchise owner, who said they’re shutting down in-store dining and hiring security guards to ensure the safety of their customers and employees.
"Providing a safe environment for team members and customers is the priority at Taco Bell restaurants," the statement read. "The franchise owner and operator has informed us that they are consistently evaluating and working to ensure a safe environment by implementing procedures, such as closing dining rooms, and hiring security guards, and they have taken extra measures to meet with local law enforcement,” the statement read.
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CNN affiliate KPIX-TV reports one Oakland-area Taco Bell has been robbed four times in the past four months and still has plywood over its windows from the most recent incident, when thieves drove through the front window in a pick-up truck and made off with the store’s safe.
According to WRAL, robberies in Oakland skyrocketed 38% last year, burglaries increased 23%, and car thefts rose 44%. In fact, one in ever 30 Oakland residents said they’ve had a car stolen in the past year. And stores are responding. The only In-N-Out in Oakland recently announced its impending closure, marking the first time the chain has ever permanently closed a location, WRAL reports.
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