Arrest Made in Oakland Mayor's SUV Theft
Authorities have arrested a suspect in connection with the theft of Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee’s city-issued SUV. The high-profile case has brought renewed focus to property crime in the East Bay.
- The suspect, identified as 29-year-old Logan Tell DeSilva, was arrested in Vallejo and has been charged with burglary and auto theft. - The theft was reportedly accomplished after the suspect gained access to City Hall on a Friday, camped out on the 11th floor over the Presidents Day holiday weekend, and then broke into the mayor's office to steal the keys to the Ford Expedition SUV. - Security footage from City Hall was instrumental in identifying the suspect, and the vehicle was tracked to Vallejo where it was recovered. - The city-owned SUV, a Ford Expedition purchased in 2023 for then-Mayor Sheng Thao, had been targeted before; it was broken into while in a city garage in 2025 when Kevin Jenkins was interim mayor. - This incident follows other high-profile property crimes involving Oakland officials; former Mayor Sheng Thao's car was broken into in 2023, and Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price had a laptop stolen from her security team's SUV that same year. - In 2023, reported crime in Oakland rose by 18% compared to 2022, with property crime up 17% and motor vehicle thefts increasing by 45%. - While some crime categories like burglary and motor vehicle theft have shown a decline in early 2024 compared to the same period last year, robberies were up 34% as of mid-March. - The theft has raised questions about the security protocols at Oakland City Hall, which utilizes a private security firm for its protection.
