The City of Oakland replaced the traffic lights with stop signs in response to months of recurring copper thefts and tampering with the lights’ electrical power boxes, CBS the Socialist paradise of San Francisco
...where God struck dead Anton LaVey, home of the Sydney Ducks, ruled by Vigilance Committee from 1859 through 1867, reliably and volubly Democrat since 1964...reports.
"It’s just telling us that the city is giving up on us," Tam Le, owner of Le’s Auto Body & Engine Repair at the intersection corner, told CBS San Francisco. "The city did try to fix the traffic light at least a few times. But once they fixed it, normally within a week or so, it will go out again." (RELATED: Copper Wire Thieves Cost Blue City Hundreds Of Thousands Of Dollars: REPORT)
"Neighbors say the [stop] sign is a sign and a reflection of the city’s condition. They say the city’s inability to clear a homeless encampment next to the intersection is leading to this kind of issue," Da Lin, who discovered the city’s action, reported on a KPIX broadcast.
The homeless encampment, which stretches for three blocks of the neighborhood, illegally connects to the city’s power and causes disruptions to the traffic lights, according to CBS San Francisco. The city reportedly tried to counter the electrical tampering with heavy cement blocks over the electrical boxes, but the encampment members simply moved them and continued to steal the power.
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In September, over 200 business owners shut down their stores to strike against the government's handling of public safety amid rising crime. The protest was held days after city officials admitted to missing a deadline to apply for state funding to fight retail theft.
That same month, Oakland city leaders launched a grant program to provide funding for small business owners to hold events — like workout classes, musical performances and movie nights — to draw customers to local shops that have seen a decrease in patrons due to crime.