Who stole Barbara Lee's car?

"An unidentified thief stole an SUV used by Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee after breaking into her office at City Hall, according to a story first reported by the California Post. OPD told The Oaklandside that the department is investigating the theft of a city-owned vehicle from City Hall on Monday, Feb. 17. The vehicle was recovered within hours in Vallejo."

"It's unclear how someone gained access to Lee's office. Oakland pays for private security personnel to guard City Hall. Last fall, a 45-year-old El Cerrito man was charged with making threats and racist comments against Lee over email. Vehicles used by past Oakland mayors have been a source of controversy. In 2024, city officials acknowledged failing to pay a local auto dealership for a Ford Expedition that was used by former Mayor Sheng Thao."

"Oakland employs a network of automated license plate readers that can track stolen vehicles. An audit of the system shows several recent searches by OPD for vehicle-related criminal offenses. There have been 842 reported motor vehicle thefts so far in 2026, according to the most recent data published by OPD. This is slightly higher than the same time last year, but 28% down compared to the average of the past three years."

An unidentified person broke into Mayor Barbara Lee's City Hall office and stole a city-owned SUV used by the mayor; the vehicle was recovered within hours in Vallejo. The Oakland Police Department is investigating and following up on potential leads while withholding further details as the probe remains active. It is unclear how access to the office was gained despite private security at City Hall. Past incidents include a charged individual who made threats and controversies over former mayoral vehicles. Oakland uses automated license plate readers to track stolen cars. Reported motor vehicle thefts in 2026 total 842, slightly higher than last year but 28% below the three-year average.

Read at The Oaklandside