(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) The man accused of stealing Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee’s city-issued SUV had reportedly been squatting inside City Hall for days, even though taxpayers are paying $35.3 million for private security to patrol the complex.
ABC Security Services was responsible for securing City Hall over Presidents Day weekend, according to the New York Post’s California edition. Yet the suspect remained inside the government building undetected beginning Friday.
Headline USA contacted ABC Security Services on Friday evening to ask how the suspect went undetected and whether an internal investigation had been opened. A receptionist declined to answer questions, claiming that those authorized to speak with the media were “gone for the day.”
According to the Post, the suspect had holed up on City Hall’s 11th floor before snatching the keys to Lee’s city-owned $75,000 Ford Explorer directly from her office earlier this week. The vehicle was reported missing Tuesday.
The suspect reportedly “jimmied” a door near Lee’s office on Monday and exited City Hall through an unsecured parking lot entrance.
Photos published by the Post showed scratches on a door near Lee’s office. The outlet also noted that City Hall remains deserted, as many employees continue to work remotely years after the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Oakland Police Department said that the suspect was identified through security footage and was later arrested. Authorities have not publicly released his identity.
Headline USA attempted to contact the Oakland Police Department, but calls to headquarters were routed through an automated system that repeatedly looped without connecting to a representative.
The breach comes amid broader criticism of Lee, a longtime former member of Congress and supporter of policies aligned with the Defund the Police movement.
In a statement following the incident, Lee said, “No one in Oakland should have to worry about their car being stolen, whether they’re a resident, a city worker, or the Mayor.”
She added, “Public safety is a priority across our entire city.”
Stop laughing – it's not funny. Ok, maybe it is. Oakland’s far-left Mayor Barbara Lee’s vehicle was stolen right out of her own City Hall office in broad daylight.
Yeah…. how's that “Defund The Police” thing working out?
REPOST for exposure!#thinblueline #Lawenforcement pic.twitter.com/1iNHSQ7yCf
— Blue Lives Matter (@bluelivesmtr) February 19, 2026
