A family’s hopeful journey to register their son at a California college turned into a nightmare when thieves robbed them of their belongings, including $3,000 and crucial documents. Now, the distraught mother vows to bring her son back to Florida, declaring California “not safe.”
A Joyful Trip Turns Tragic
Rhomel Crossman, a recent graduate of Coconut Creek High School in Florida, had committed to playing football at Lincoln University in Oakland, California. The Crossman family flew from Coconut Creek to the Bay Area to help Rhomel register for his classes and settle into his new environment. Unfortunately, their excitement quickly turned into distress.
The family rented a white Nissan Rogue from Thrifty and drove to Oakland. They parked the car a block away from the private university around 6:15 p.m., intending to pick up food from a nearby Jamaican restaurant. Unaware of the danger lurking in broad daylight, they left their five suitcases inside the vehicle.
A Devastating Discovery
After just 15 minutes, the family returned to a shocking scene: their rental car’s windows smashed, glass scattered on the ground, and all their belongings gone. “In Oakland, California, you just gotta be careful,” Crossman’s mother, Nerissa Murray Watson, told KTVU. “Everything is totally gone.”
A witness reported seeing masked men driving around in a car without license plates. This brazen act of daylight robbery is becoming alarmingly common in the Bay Area. “I didn’t know that these things happen in America, so it’s really strange to me,” Murray Watson lamented, expressing her disbelief and dismay.
The Stolen Belongings
The stolen items were not just clothes and personal effects. The thieves took $3,000 in cash, three passports, social security cards, and Rhomel’s high school diploma and birth certificate. “Three thousand dollars in a bag my husband put under the seat with three passports, social security cards, and my son’s high school diploma and birth certificate,” Murray Watson detailed, emphasizing the gravity of the loss.
A Mother’s Desperate Decision
The incident has shaken the family’s confidence in California’s safety. Murray Watson now plans to pull her son out of Lincoln University and return to Florida. “It’s just not safe here,” she said, underscoring her concern for her family’s wellbeing. The experience has cast a dark shadow over what should have been a joyous milestone in Rhomel’s life.
A Broader Issue
The Crossman family’s ordeal is part of a larger problem plaguing the Bay Area. Car break-ins and thefts have surged, leaving many residents and visitors feeling vulnerable. The rising crime rates have prompted calls for increased security measures and community awareness to combat the growing threat.
Stephen’s Insight
The Crossman family’s traumatic experience is a stark reminder of the safety concerns that persist in certain areas, even during significant life events. As they return to Florida, their story highlights the urgent need for improved security and the challenges families face when relocating for educational opportunities.
