BART police ramp up patrols after takeover robbery at Oakland Coliseum station

OAKLAND, Calif. (KGO) -- Many BART police officers are working overtime as part of an emergency staffing call ordered after last Saturday's frightening takeover robbery at the Oakland Coliseum BART Station.

RELATED: BART police say juvenile arrested in takeover robbery on train

Dozens of teenagers boarded a BART train at the Oakland Coliseum BART Station, and started robbing and beating people. "Thirty kids board my train, beat up someone, robbed them, and then run off the train," a BART operator said.

The mob boarded the train, and terrorized, robbed, and beat passengers for what felt like an eternity.

RELATED: Ex-BART police chief says Oakland train takeover was difficult to prevent

A witness named David who did not want to be seen on camera, was on the train that night. "They were just approaching everyone, dude, they were approaching everyone, if you had something they were taking it. If you said something wrong, they were beating you up. It was just all bad," he said.

BART police arrived five minutes after the first call for help because they were busy on a separate suicide call.

By the time they reached the Oakland Coliseum BART Station, the suspects were gone.

That's why the department's top brass is making changes by staffing up, for now. "Most of our officers work four days a week 10-hour shifts. and are going to be working five days a week in a 10-hour shift," BART Police Department acting Dept. Chief Terence McCarty said.

BART has also seen a 22 percent jump in crimes this year.Most are on board robberies. Riders, especially at the Oakland Coliseum BART Station worry about a repeat of last Saturday night. "I do ride the trains at night and that really scared me, so i'm glad they're being proactive and doing something about it and I really, really hope it helps," BART rider Betty Williams said.

"I don't do BART at night no more just because of that situation," BART rider Javante Thompson said.

So far, police have arrested only one person. However, several other warrants have been issued.

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