Someone Stole Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee's Car, It Was Recovered the Next Day in Vallejo

"Some clever thief actually managed to steal Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee's city-issued SUV on Monday, and took it for some degree of joy-riding, though the vehicle was reportedly recovered Tuesday in (where else?) Vallejo. Just last month, Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee was touting that crime was down in Oakland across the board in 2025. She will probably not be touting that statistic anytime within the next few days, though, or at least until the story blows over that someone stole Barbara Lee's city-issued SUV straight out of the Oakland City Hall parking lot on Monday, as KRON4 reports."

"Most media reports on the theft, like KRON4's, only go by the statements put out on the matter by local PR guy Sam Singer, who's speaking on behalf of the Oakland Police Officers Association. But the Chronicle independently confirmed several elements of the story, to say that yes, the city-owned Ford Expedition that totes Mayor Lee around on official business was stolen Monday and recovered in Vallejo on Tuesday."

"The door to Lee's office appeared to have been tampered with, the Chronicle reports, and investigators believe the keys were taken on Monday, the Presidents Day holiday. That individual apparently just plain drove the vehicle out of the City Hall parking garage. The Chronicle says City Hall security footage helped identify a suspect, who has not yet been apprehended or arrested."

An individual broke into Mayor Barbara Lee's City Hall office during the Presidents Day closure, apparently tampered with the door, and took the office keys. The suspect drove the city-owned Ford Expedition out of the City Hall parking garage and used it for a joy ride before the vehicle was recovered in Vallejo the next day. City Hall security footage helped identify a suspect, who remains at large. The Oakland Police Department is actively investigating. Local PR representative Sam Singer and the mayor's office issued statements acknowledging the theft. The Chronicle independently confirmed key details.

Read at sfist.com