The owner of one of Stockton’s most historic and iconic eateries, Genova Bakery, says he’s fed up with crime in front of his business and is asking for the public’s help in spurring city leaders into action.
Tim Canevari says he’s tried everything, including buying a retired sheriff’s patrol car and parking it in front of the building, but the problems continue. Police officials have repeatedly been made aware of his neighborhood’s problems, but he says they’ve told him there is little they can do.
Now he has taken to social media to issue a call for help. He is asking anyone who cares about his plight and the future of the century-old bakery to phone the city manager and the mayor’s office. He wants them to send a pointed message:
“I am calling in support of Genova Bakery on N Sierra Nevada St. Genova Bakery has been a historic landmark in this community since 1918 and I want to see it continue operating in this city,” Canevari’s suggested script reads. “I am asking the city to please address the ongoing crime outside of this beloved Stockton landmark and help make it a safe environment for customers and staff.”
Apparently his distress call has been heard. Canevari, who started working at the bakery in high school, said a city official called to arrange a video meeting to see what can be done.
But he’s quick to note that he’s had plenty of past media attention about the crime problems around the bakery, along with visits from officials. He said he gets promises with no follow-through. For that, he said he blames Stockton Police Chief Stanley McFadden.
“I just feel the chief would rather walk around to these businesses and ask what they need, then not do anything. It’s all PR,” Canevari said.
When reached for a response, police had no immediate comment to Canevari’s complaints.
Genova Bakery is one of Stockton’s oldest businesses. It is an active bakery, where crews turn out fresh loaves of bread daily while a bevy of clerks hustle behind the counter taking customers’ orders. There’s no shortage of hungry patrons prowling its planked floors at lunchtime waiting for one of its made-to-order Italian sub sandwiches.
The bakery was founded in a thriving Italian immigrant neighborhood. Today, the Italians are largely gone, but the bakery remains a gem in a viable residential district.
But trouble has crept in. Canevari said prostitutes linger near Sierra Nevada and Flora streets, mostly in the evenings, sometimes as many as eight at a time. A few women hang out in the mornings too, or other times during the day, he said, noting that their presence attracts a parade of seedy men. At times, the “stream of cars would be nonstop,” he told Stocktonia.
The scene was so bad after returning from watching the races at the Stockton 99 Speedway one weekend, “I couldn’t get into our parking lot. They were looking at the girls,” he said.
In addition, sometimes the dealings involve drugs, Canevari said, adding that he has watched as bags of narcotics are squirreled away in the wheel wells of parked cars.
Canevari said police have told him they are powerless to act against the streetwalking. “Unless caught in the act, that’s the only time they can be arrested,” he said he was informed.
Fed up, Canevari bought a retired sheriff’s patrol car and outfitted it with a light bar, Wi-Fi and cameras. He parked it outside the bakery. A motion sensor activated the red-and-blue emergency lights for a few seconds when someone walked by.
“That cut down on the traffic,” he said.
But apparently someone complained to police. Canevari said police told him he no longer could activate the car’s red-and-blue lights.
Genova Bakery’s crime troubles aren’t confined to the sidewalk. Someone fired a shot into the bakery one night two years ago, Canevari said. Thankfully, none of his bakers were working at the time.
Canevari said city officials — including Mayor Christina Fugazi — have been to the bakery to discuss the crime problems. He said Fugazi sometimes comes in for a sandwich.
He said he’s also met with McFadden, telling the chief that he believes that prostitution is leading to bigger problems in the area.
“The thing I told the chief was it starts with the prostitution. Then the drugs and guns and shootings come,” Canevari said. “That’s exactly what has happened.”