abc7news

RESTAURANT IS CONSIDERING SHUTTING DOWN AFTER BEING BROKEN INTO AND ROBBED FOUR TIMES THIS YEAR ALONE. EMPLOYEES SWEASE HAVE EVEN RESORTED TO FENDING OFF ATTACKERS THEMSELVES. THE CITY IS NOW OFFERING UP SOME CHANGES IN A STORY YOU’LL SEE ONLY ON SEVEN. >> HE GREW UP THE HAMMER, SO HE

WAS LIKE, WE HAD TO DEFEND EMPLOYEES AT SEIBEL’S PIZZA ALONG FRUITVALE AVENUE IN OAKLAND’S DIAMOND DISTRICT HAVE RESORTED TO DEFENDING THEMSELVES AFTER THE MOSTRILLIONECENT ROBBERY FRIDAY. THEY WENT INTO MY SHOP YESTERDAY AROUND 10:30 P.M. THEY TRIED TO STEAL THE REGISTER. ANOTHER OF MY TWO EMPLOYEES. HE GRABBED THE HAMMER

AND HE THREW IT TO HIS FOOT SO THEY CAN LEAVE. HE CAME INTO THE SHOP AGAIN AND THEY WERE LIKE TRYING TO CATCH THEM. THEY WERE VERY, VERY BRAVE. >> OWNER ELIZABETH SANCHEZ SAYS THIS IS JUST ONE OF FOUR BREAK IN ROBBERIES AT THEIR OAKLAND LOCATION THIS YEAR.

>> EVERY OTHER WEEK, OR LIKE WEEKLY, WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE SOME RE-FILL? >> ELIZABETH SAYS THE CRIME IN THE AREA IS SO BAD IT’S HARD TO RETAIN WORKERS. >> IT IS JUST SEVEN DAYS A WEEK WORKING ON IT FROM THE MORNING TO CLOSING, AND SHE’S CONSIDERING CLOSING THE LOCATION

WHEN SALES ARE DROPPING DOWN BECAUSE NOBODY WANTS TO COME OUT. NOBODY NOBODY. THEY’RE SCARED FOR THEIR SAFETY. 20% OF THE SALES WERE WORSE THAN THE PANDEMIC. >> A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE MAYOR’S OFFICE TELLS ME THEY’VE BEEN WORKING WITH ELIZABETH AND OTHER SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS IN THE AREA ON STRENGTHENING

SECURITY AND THEN THE CHIEF MENDOZA, SHE SHE SAID THAT THEY’RE WORKING ON IT. >> THEY’RE WORKING SO THEY CAN HAVE THEY CAN HAVE A BUDGET FOR THE DIAMOND DISTRICT AND THE LAUREL DISTRICT SO THEY CAN HAVE SECURITY, MORE SECURITY FOR THE SEVEN DAYS A WEEK. ELIZABETH HOPES IT’S A PROMISE THE CITY

WILL KEEP ON BEHALF OF NOT JUST CIBELES. ALL THE BUSINESS OWNERS NEED HELP. IN AND OUT. DENNIS THOSE ARE THE BIG CHANGE. THEY’RE CLOSING DOWN. WHAT ABOUT US? THE SMALL BUSINESS WHERE WE ARE FOR NOW. >> AS SHE WORKS FROM THE SAN FRANCISCO LOCATION OF SEIBEL’S, SHE AND HER REMAINING EMPLOYEES

ARE HANGING ON IN HOPES OAKLAND WILL ONE DAY PROSPER AGAIN. >> FOR ME, AS A AS AN IMMIGRANT, THIS WAS THE AMERICAN DREAM, THE AMERICAN DREAM. BUT NOW WHERE IS IT? >> MAYOR TAO’S OFFICE ALSO TELLS ME THEY RECENTLY GRANTED TWO SMALL BUSINESSES $25,000 FOR REPAIRS FROM THEIR FACADE AND

TENANT IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM. THEY SAY THEY’LL WORK