Oakland: Burglar spent hours inside Oakland municipal building

A man broke into a downtown Oakland building that houses much of the city’s administrative work over the weekend, wandering around for hours before hauling off an unknown number of items in what officials are calling a “security breach.”

The burglary happened Saturday at 250 Frank Ogawa Plaza — next to City Hall — which contains offices for the city’s public works, building inspections, planning and zoning, finance, transportation, parks and recreation, housing and community development, citizen police review commission and other divisions.

The man entered the sixstory city building through an underground parking garage and used an emergency staircase to gain access to the upper floors, according to an email sent Wednesday to city staff.

His movements were captured on closed-circuit television.

“The suspect can be seen on the CCTV in multiple areas of the building,” building services manager Derin Minor said in the email. “He was in the building for several hours and can be seen on CCTV footage exiting the building with a backpack, duffle bag and other items that he did not have when he entered.”

The weekend break-in may not have been the first theft involving the man.

“It is believed that this person has come into the building on at least one prior occasion and stolen items,” Minor said.

It wasn’t clear what was taken, but Oakland’s risk management division has opened a loss claim with the city’s insurer. City staff were told to report any missing items and information they may have on the breach. The Oakland Police Department has opened an investigation.

In response to the incident, access into the building through a stairwell in the parking garage has been closed and designated an emergency exit only. People using the garage — mainly city staff — have to exit using elevators or a different staircase. The city’s security contractor, Cypress Security, will also provide “additional coverage for the building,” Minor said.

“We would like to remind everyone to take extra precaution to lock up their personal items of value and to lock office and suite doors at the end of the day,” Minor said. “And as a further reminder please report suspicious persons or activity to the security officer at the front desk.”