In a historic move, In-N-Out Burger is permanently shutting down its Oakland outlet due to escalating crime rates in the area.

This marks the first time the fast-food giant has ever closed a restaurant. The company cited frequent incidents of car break-ins, property damage, theft, and armed robberies as the primary reasons for the closure, stating that the safety of its customers and employees was at risk.

Despite being a profitable location, the Oakland outlet, which has been operational for nearly 20 years, will cease operations on March 24. The decision comes in the wake of a significant rise in crime in Oakland, with burglaries increasing by 23% and motor vehicle thefts by 44% in 2023 compared to the previous year.

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In-N-Out’s COO, Denny Warnick, stated that the severity and frequency of crimes left the company with no other choice. He emphasized that the company could not expect its customers or employees to frequent or work in an unsafe environment.

The approximately 100 employees affected by the closure will be relocated to a San Francisco outlet or offered severance packages.

The closure of the In-N-Out outlet follows a trend of businesses, including Starbucks and Target, shutting down their operations in cities with high crime rates. Despite a national decrease in violent crime by 8.2% in 2023, Oakland has seen a 21% increase in violent crime during the same period.

Read more at CNN.