A Florida family decided to bring their son back home from Oakland, California, after a daylight robbery occurred while they were dropping him off at college.
Rhomel Crossman, a football player from Coconut Creek, Florida, traveled with his family to California to register for classes at Lincoln University. Excited to join as a defensive tackle, Crossman’s plans faltered when their belongings were stolen in just 15 minutes.
The family parked their rented Nissan Rogue near the campus and went to pick up food. During this short time, the SUV’s windows were smashed, and their luggage was stolen. The stolen items included $3,000 in cash, three passports, social security cards, and Crossman’s high school diploma and birth certificate.
A witness reported seeing masked men in a car without a license plate in the area around the time of the robbery.
“I didn’t know that these things happen in America, so it’s really strange to me,” said Crossman’s mother, Nerissa Murray Watson. Despite calling 911, they were told to go to the police station to file a report. “To me, it’s lawless because we even called the police three times, and they said they can’t come,” she added.
A sleep apnea machine was also among the stolen items. “Now, I start feeling my heart, like, it’s pounding in the morning instead of feeling rested,” said Crossman’s aunt, Coren Leslie-Green.
After this experience, the family decided to pull Crossman out of Lincoln University. “I have to bring back my son to Florida because it’s not safe here,” Murray Watson said.
Meanwhile, Democrat California Gov. Gavin Newsom has touted lower crime rates in Oakland. Oakland Police Department data reported a 33 percent drop in crime compared to the same time in 2023. “These results are a clear and concrete example of the effective partnership with state, local, and federal law enforcement in Oakland and the surrounding East Bay,” Newsom said in a June 11 statement. “Ensuring the safety and security of Oakland residents, we will continue to make our communities safer by taking down crime and holding individuals accountable.”
