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[Dalek]

BART takeover robbery: 50 to 60 teens swarm train, rob weekend riders

A recent string of robberies on BART trains took a frightening turn when dozens of juveniles swarmed an Oakland station over the weekend and commandeered a train car, forcing passengers to hand over bags and cell phones and leaving at least two with head injuries, witnesses told the transit agency.

BART did not immediately publicize the incident — the first of its kind in recent memory — after it occurred around 9:30 p.m. Saturday at Coliseum Station.

But according to a police summary reviewed by The Chronicle, witnesses said 50 to 60 juveniles flooded the station, jumped the fare gates and rushed to the second-story train platform. Some of the robbers apparently held open the doors of a Dublin-bound train car while others streamed inside, confronting and robbing and in some cases beating riders.

The juveniles “committed multiple strong-arm robberies of bags and cell phones,” said the summary. “At least two victims suffered head/facial injuries requiring medical attention.” Police did not say if any of the suspects were armed, or describe exactly how the passengers were wounded.

The attack was quick, police reported, and the teenagers were able to retreat from the station and vanish into the surrounding East Oakland neighborhood before BART officers could respond. The train that was hit was held for about 15 minutes as authorities investigated the crime and tended to the injured.

BART spokeswoman Alicia Trost acknowledged Monday morning that the robbery took place, but said she wanted to get more information from police before commenting in more detail.

 

[Htown]

what the hell?

 

[IronRaven]

This sounds like something that would only happen in the Wild West times. Jesus.

 

[GeordieMark]

Used to be called steaming when teens were doing this in London. Never heard of it on this scale before though.

 

[John Caboose]

That's fucking terrifying.

 

[HStallion]

Is San Fransisco turning into 70's New York? The Warriors remake in the bay area?

 

[collige]

This sounds like something that would only happen in the Wild West times. Jesus.

It sounds like something that would happen in New York 40 years ago.

 

[Matty77]

I remember when they used to do those sort of swarm hijackings in the eighties. Not on a subway though usually in shopping malls or shop sections in the city.

Indie rapper Thirsten Howl the 3rd rapped a lot about it, stole a lot of polo shit.

 

[WiseguyMVP]

Is San Fransisco turning into 70's New York? The Warriors remake in the bay area?

 

[i3allistic]

Coliseum my station too, and BART PD no where to be found

 

[Tuck]

What the fuck?!

 

[ProfessorLobo]

Going on the BART I've always thought it would be a perfect place for a crime spree. Or I guess any subway for that matter.

 

[shintoki]

If only they were built like that.

 

[NullPointer]

50 to 60?

Jesus fuck.

 

[Talka]

How the hell do you organize 50 teenagers to rob a train? What the hell?

So weird.

 

[Tagyhag]

I've always been kinda worried about this whenever I took the red line in LA, but then I figured nothing like this could realistically happen.

Guess I was wrong...

 

[jmdajr]

the fuck is this bullshit

I assume they have video of this?

 

[Conor_Fool]

If only our favorite team of humanoid turtles was there to kick some tail

For real though this is terrifying

 

[Servbot24]

So they have to split the contents of a few purses between 50 people? This makes no sense.

 

[norm9]

Frightening. Hope you get a non violent teen that just wants to rob you and not one that'll injure you too.

 

[marrec]

How the hell do you organize 50 teenagers to rob a train? What the hell?

So weird.

LINE bro

 

[Violence Jack]

Thankfully no one tried to play hero and started shooting on the train or this could've been worse.

Where the hell was their station PD?

 

[Dynomutt]

If only our favorite team of humanoid turtles was there to kick some tail

For real though this is terrifying

No sympathy for goons like this. Hopefully some of them get stuck on those same tracks. Real talk shit is mad crazy out there. Stay safe.

 

[forms]

To be honest, western civilization is pretty much fucked by now. The only "simple" solution is horrible, more cameras, more guards, more guns.

 

[jombag]

Was planning on riding bart to union square from our hotel this weekend. Not anymore. Uber it is then.

 

[Imperfected]

Got a feeling this is going to end in some teenagers getting killed trying to pull this stunt on the wrong people.

 

[uncredited male]

That loot to person ratio must be terrible.

 

[PeakPointMatrix]

It's like if there was security or police stationed somewhere, this kind of thing could be discouraged.

 

[daffy]

So they have to split the contents of a few purses between 50 people? This makes no sense.

its called plundering bro lol
theres no honor among theives

 

[Trojita]

The Phantom Thieves are getting out of control.

 

[Tagyhag]

How the hell do you organize 50 teenagers to rob a train? What the hell?

So weird.

A gang? Or poor teens discontent with the wage gap?

It's only going to get worse in SF as the place gets more and more expensive and gentrified.

 

[zeemumu]

So they have to split the contents of a few purses between 50 people? This makes no sense.

I assume it was a "whatever you get is yours" thing and the numbers were only to create confusion. I don't think anyone is splitting anything.

 

[Dalek]

the fuck is this bullshit

I assume they have video of this?

As shitty as BART is-I'm willing to bet that the cameras on the train are there for show. I worked retail when I was younger and we had "Security" cameras in the store but they weren't hooked up to anything because the store didn't want to pay for the recording equipment.

 

[awilliams213]

SF police need to put a BOLO out for The Rat King

 

[Guevara]

What is wrong with these kids, honestly.

 

[NoRéN]

Got a feeling this is going to end in some teenagers getting killed trying to pull this stunt on the wrong people.

I hope so.

 

[norm9]

A gang? Or poor teens discontent with the wage gap?

It's only going to get worse in SF as the place gets more and more expensive and gentrified.

Economic anxiety? Lol

 

[old manatee]

Oakland is a really tragic place. They never saw a penny of that Bay Area tech money.

 

[radios shipping overview]

A gang? Or poor teens discontent with the wage gap?

Por qué no los dos?

 

[Mac the KNife]

Ninja VANISH

 

[Opus Angelorum]

I was on a train years ago heading to a place called Bray in Southern Ireland with my then GF.

All of the stops along that line are generally very quite, small tourist areas on the coast.

Suddenly at the next stop, I'd say 10-15 lads jumped on and lifted all the old newspapers from the seats, rolled them up and began battling each other.

They were not attacking anyone else, however they were not being careful with whom they ran past or jumped across to escape a hit etc.

It was coming up to the next stop, and I lost my patience. I waited purposefully for the biggest of them to run towards my direction, left my foot out and tripped him. He went flying, I went over to him, lifted him from the floor and threw him out the door

Needless to say the rest of his friends made a hasty exit.

 

[Dalek]

I was on a train years ago heading to a place called Bray in Southern Ireland with my then GF.

All of the stops along that line are generally very quite, small tourist areas on the coast.

Suddenly at the next stop, I'd say 10-15 lads jumped on and lifted all the old newspapers from the seats, rolled them up and began battling each other.

They were not attacking anyone else, however they were not being careful with whom they ran past or jumped across to escape a hit etc.

It was coming up to the next stop, and I lost my patience. I waited purposefully for the biggest of them to run towards my direction, left my foot out and tripped him. He went flying, I went over to him, lifted him from the floor and threw him out the door

Needless to say the rest of his friends made a hasty exit.

 

[djSyndrome]

As shitty as BART is-I'm willing to bet that the cameras on the train are there for show.

Someone didn't read the article.

 

[Mesoian]

This sounds like something that would only happen in the Wild West times. Jesus.

It definitely reminds me of the stories from the old gangs of new york and Philadelphia.

Crazy stuff.

 

[LosDaddie]

I wonder if these kids are redeemable

 

[Rootbeer]

ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME

As a frequent BART rider... this shit is terrifying.

I used to carry pepper spray around but in recent years I've felt a lot more comfortable. But you can't just spray 1 or 2 of them if there's dozens... the others are gonna gang up on you.

BART needs to get its security in check. There used to be a time where I'd actually see BART police somewhat regularly... it's super, super rare to see them on the trains anymore.

The incident is likely to present a challenge for BART, which hired a new police chief last week. The agency has struggled to contain fare evaders, and is in the midst of installing surveillance cameras in train cars after The Chronicle reported that most of the existing cameras were decoys.

Decoys... you cheap fucks... makes my blood boil


BART acts like it cares so much about security... they actually closed down every restroom in all of their stations due to 'security concerns' because they are so afraid someone is going to prepare a bomb in there. The reality is they don't want to maintain the restrooms for customers. And here we have a REAL example of a high-profile security incident... they better respond in kind.

 

[BocoDragon]

Edit: wrong thread

 

[Kabuki Quantum Lover]

Edit: wrong thread

In some ways, it was the right thread.

- - - - -

On-topic, that's scary as hell.

 

[Ragnorok64]

If only they were built like that.

Not sure how that'd be good for anyone.

 

[dave is ok]

Didn't a 12 year old just get robbed at gunpoint walking off of one of these trains?