Several Taco Bell locations in Oakland have shut their dining rooms due to safety concerns amid a rise in crime impacting businesses in the city. Taco Bell stated that “providing a safe environment for team members and customers is the priority,” and that the closures were initiated by Diversified Restaurant Group, the franchisee owner.

According to Taco Bell, the franchise owner is continually assessing and enhancing safety measures, including closing dining areas, hiring security guards, and collaborating with local law enforcement.

The Daily Mail reported the dining room closures last week. Diversified Restaurant Group, which operates around 300 Taco Bell and Arby’s locations mainly in the western U.S., did not respond to CNN’s request for comment.

At least four Taco Bell locations in Oakland have closed their dining rooms, though drive-thru service remains available. Taco Bell’s website lists about six locations in the Oakland area.

KPIX-TV, a CNN affiliate, visited a Taco Bell that had been robbed four times in the past four months, finding signs about the closure. The restaurant still has plywood on its windows from a recent robbery where thieves drove a pickup truck through the window to steal a safe.

One Oakland Taco Bell continues to operate its dining room but has gone cashless to deter robberies, KPIX-TV reported.

In addition to frequent robberies, auto theft and property damage have been significant issues for businesses in the area.

The challenges are widespread. In two weeks, the only In-N-Out location in Oakland will close, marking the first time the popular burger chain has permanently shut a location. This decision was also attributed to crime. A Denny’s recently closed its sole Oakland branch after more than 54 years, citing safety concerns, and Raising Cane’s near the airport closed its dining room last year.

Nationally, violent crime decreased by 8.2% in 2023, continuing a trend from the previous year after an increase in 2021, according to the FBI. However, crime in Oakland remains problematic, with robberies up 38% last year, burglaries increasing by 23%, and motor vehicle theft surging by 44%. A San Francisco Chronicle analysis revealed that approximately one in every 30 Oakland residents had their car stolen last year.

Experts suggest that the rise in crime may be linked to pandemic-related disruptions, such as changes in daily routines, emotional and economic stress, shifts in police practices, and reduced social support, as noted by a Council on Criminal Justice study.

In response to the crime surge, California Governor Gavin Newsom recently deployed 120 California Highway Patrol officers to Oakland and the surrounding areas to address vehicle theft, retail theft, and violent crime.