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Auto break-ins on the rise at the beach
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Related Topics: SAN FRANCISCO
SAN FRANCISCO (Map, News) - Smash-and-grab auto burglars have recently turned their attention to the streets lining the ocean, preying on surfers and tourists who head to the beach, according to authorities.
Police said Tuesday that auto burglaries are plaguing the Western Addition, La Playa Street near the Great Highway and The Embarcadero between Fisherman’s Wharf and Howard Street, Lt. Michael Biel said.
Smash-and-grabs have decreased in the last two years, police said, but there are still more than 1,000 cars broken into every month. There were 14,058 reports of auto break-ins in The City in 2007. In 2006, there were more than 15,000 reports.
On Tuesday, police played a video of a sting operation to show how quickly an auto thief can pull devices such as dashboard GPS systems, iPods and phones if they’re left in the open. The video shows a man breaking into a police decoy vehicle parked near St. Mary’s Cathedral in the Western Addition.
The auto break-in took less than 90 seconds, and according to police, an auto burglar can sell the goods in a high foot-traffic area within an hour.
“Unfortunately, there are many people in our society and our communities here that will buy property at a low price and really not take into consideration that these items are stolen or maybe they don’t care that these items are stolen,” Biel said.
The ability to use police testimony is a major part of convicting auto burglars, according to the District Attorney’s Office. Prosecutors had their hands tied before because defendants would claim they just found whatever stolen goods they were carrying on the street.
The crime is probably one of the most underreported in The City, according to police, meaning there could be many more that police never hear about.
“This is a crime that’s very frustrating for the Police Department because 99 percent of offenses are preventable,” Deputy police Chief Kevin Cashman said.
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Examiner Reader said:
It's about time to turn all banks, majority of them, into ATM robots. Forget about one to one service. Some bank customers can't break away from traditonal banking. Times have changed. They rob banks because that's where the money is. With ATM's or robots, they will have spend hours clobbering it half to death.
2 agree | 3 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
these bevy of burglars might be shot at eventually and wind up on a levy six feet under if they're not careful. not to say they should. burger king is always hiring. don't they feel stupid stealing other people's hard earned living. buy their own stuff.
6 agree | 5 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Correction; the three robberies in San Mateo were not on the same block as the home invasion. The three robberies were in San Mateo in a neighborhood West of El Camino. The three
5 agree | 5 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
they need to demolish the potrero hill projects. they look like encampments of the prison type. if subsidized housing can reduce a population into near animals, this is the place not to be at night or day.
7 agree | 6 disagree
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name said:
I wanna show you something,
7 agree | 8 disagree
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name said:
Really nice=)but look this:,
8 agree | 8 disagree
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name said:
I wanna show you something,
7 agree | 7 disagree
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Transgendered Protests Pointless said:
"Passive crimes, such as panhandling, are turning more aggressive as the wait for the extra dollar becomes longer and more difficult, Dudley said." There's absolutely nothing passive about panhandling in this city. I completely ignore those who ask me for money. If they persist, as some filthy creature reeking of booze did this morning, I'm fully prepared to physically defend myself. If that leads to the beggar suffering a broken nose, leg or arm, so be it. San Franciscans are fed up with the armies camped out on our streets, demanding that we support their drug and alcohol habits. It's disgusting that we cannot walk a block without being assailed by some parasite demanding a donation.
14 agree | 10 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
The City is lying to you through The Examiner if you think for one minute that there is a policy in place that allows SF Police Officers to contact ICE when in contact with an Illegal. Take this from an SF Police Officer - we have a specific directive (General Order/Department Bulletin) that EXPRESSLY PROHIBITS us from contacting the Feds when we are in contact with an illegal - despite the crime they commit. Feel free to look this up on your own; it's subject to a public information search. And I can tell you that this policy is in place, despite officers' best efforts to rid this city of the illegals committing crimes.
47 agree | 41 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
I Use to work with Hyman he was crazy then did know he was security guard and just had got fired
53 agree | 60 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Prostitution benefits no one, not the prostitutes, their clients or the neighborhoods they work in. Prostitution is only legal in a couple of areas in Nevada and the brothels are far away from residential locations. Ask the residents of Portland about the impact on their lives when prostitution was ignored. This measure doesn’t benefit the residents of San Francisco and should be rejected.
70 agree | 71 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
How is it Nevada has lived with legalized prostitution all these years and not fallen into ruinous state of decay? Legalize it, monitor it, tax it and let people do what they do.
69 agree | 69 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Gavin Newsome is 100% responsible he could have stopped this a long time ago.An arrogant little man he thinks he can make it right by attending part of the funeral.Little twit.
84 agree | 69 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
i'm still so sad of this i knew them. very close. it hurts to know that he might get off! they need to give him the death penelty! if they send him back to El Salvador he's just going to come back and kill again.
66 agree | 65 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
I hope justice is properly served.
65 agree | 41 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Newsom is responsible for these murders - if he did his job this barbarian would have been deported long ago!
43 agree | 38 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
My God how can this happen? The woman's life is over...the poor family that is left...my God watch over them and give them peace...
22 agree | 21 disagree
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name said:
best of the best it is,
21 agree | 22 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
You should get your facts right before you right an article about someone. For your information Rodney the Hells Angel in your article was let go and no charges were filed. Why don't you print that to everyone. I think you should do a lot more research before you write your articles. From Kelly a very upset RED&WHITE SUPPORTER
29 agree | 25 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Dear Govenor of CA, and all police departments - It is time that the Hells Angels and everyother gang biker group is disbanded once and for all. Three strikes is one too many.
21 agree | 27 disagree
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MrHyphy said:
Why is this news...? Everyone should be glad he took off with a lunchbox, hell, ill give him mines so that he dont shoot me stupid eh.. DEE DEE DEE!
23 agree | 20 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Just for the record what this country needs is a real leader who can and will bring us out of the past and into the present when will U.S. get one who will do this because we have noone who is in a position that has a backbone.Our forefathers rolling in thier graves oevr the state this country has become.
25 agree | 19 disagree
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wrongwat said:
This is another example of Overreacting by law enforcement. What started as a regular, everyday, run of the mill fight has become a federal case. Probably the two guys that got beat up were out of line and were shooting off their mouth. Hence an attitude adjustment. Why don't the PD react as quickly when an assault is taking place committed by illegals in the Safeway mall? This is a waste of taxpayer money.
26 agree | 19 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
People just don't think anymore, it only takes seconds to take a life. So 4 people died that day.
22 agree | 19 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
I didn't know you Tony and your sons but I knew his sister Lorraine and husband Frank. This was such a senseless tragedy. You are all in my thoughts and prayers. Love, Janet Karp Darmody and family. Phx Az.
24 agree | 25 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
"99 percent of offenses are preventable" Hmm... that number sounds a little high. My sister's car was broken into this past weekend. Absolutley nothing of value was in the cab of her car. Her valuables were stowed away in her trunk. Visually there was nothing to provoke the theives to break into her car, but that did not stop them.
30 agree | 32 disagree
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MMZ said:
Rudy, the HA's do these toys for tots and blood drives for good publicity. The fact is, they are nothing more than a money-making gang and as long as people like you see them as just some good old boys, they can continue their drug dealing, etc. They need sympathetic public (like you) when it's time to go to court.
30 agree | 38 disagree
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Cuz Nobody Reads this anyway said:
So essentially the defense argument is that the accused, Mr. Guiterrez, killed a snitch or in criminal justice parlance an "informant", which as we all oughta know by now is what happens to snitches. MMM? Interesting, or is it now just yhree syllables, hold it let me take a look, yes in-tres-ting. So maybe the defense has stumbled upon a theory as to why so many people ae getting shot in the various bay area urban enclaves its that they have snitched or informed, and some how other people are expected to come forward and be willing to point out to the authorities who the killers are or might be. Seems maybe a little bit risky. Am I the first Examiner reader to point out that after the big take down of members of the Acorn gang in Oakland that six, yes six people were shot to death that following weekend and that some people, including the Oakland Administrator's nephew, got out of jail on bail and reportedly went back to "work"?
30 agree | 28 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
this is what are community comes to, we defend horrible gang members, no thank you. Send that poor man home to his wife and daughters, he did a good cause there is no reason for him being punished.
33 agree | 31 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Jaime Gutierrez is a well known community leader and has always helped anybody in need. This is an unfortunate event but if he says its in self defense it must be, jaime wouldn't hurt a fly.
28 agree | 26 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Maybe we ought to investigate this Louie Chen of TLC Glass...he has most to gain.
21 agree | 20 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Robbing banks is very unacceptable. It does not help one to steal money from another person in a form of a bank account one keeps in the bank. An urgent solution must be found as soon as possible or circumstances of the result of repeated bank robberies that will not only harm banks, but the customers of that bank when their monies are being stolen intentionally.
18 agree | 14 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
We won't see any change cuz the change we need to see is money going into community programs, jobs and education. Then we will see a reduction in crime. In NYC there are single blocks that "corrections" spends over 1 million dollars a year on. The money is spent on locking people from that single block up. (upwards of 80% of the folks are locked up on non-violent offences too!) Imagine if you split a million annually on inforstructure improvment jobs & education... It's proven again and again...crime drops.
25 agree | 21 disagree
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Beretta Team said:
The important thing is that nobody was hurt. The incident shook us all up and as a result we've installed additional measures of security. It's a shame that we were one of the recent restaurants to be targeted in this recent string of robberies. We're working with SFPD to review the camera footage and hopefully we'll be able to identify the criminal. It's important to understand that this kind of thing can happen to any restaurant, bank, bookstore or any merchant that exchanges money. Beretta is dedicated to being a neighborhood restaurant where everyone can enjoy great food and delicious drinks in a safe and comfortable environment and we won't sit by and let the criminal acts of one individual compromise our pledge to the neighborhood. Finally and most importantly, we'd like to thank our customers for the way they handled the incident. Everyone remained very calm and collective- nobody tried to act as the "hero," and as a result nobody was hurt. Thank you for your supp
43 agree | 46 disagree
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Carl said:
anybody read the article in the sf examiner the other day about sfpd having poor community relations? Hopefully the lack of calls to 911 regarding gun shots will be a wake up call to sfpd. maybe not.
46 agree | 47 disagree
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billy said:
well no kidding...we who actually live in SF have known this for a long time and the mayor, the PD chief, and the DA are totally incompetent and ignoring any possible solutions. Newson is increasing his staff and cutting police academy classes. He opposed foot patrols..he's never in town!! This guy is cut from the same cloth as Bush and he's just as incompetent at adressing these serious problems. Expect NO change while these folks run things.
55 agree | 48 disagree
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L. Amiot said:
These ShotSpotters are gimics. Chicago has used them to a disappointing end for years now. The technology is expensive and does not get to the root of the problem. People, police officers, on the ground, walking and talking to people in the neighbirhood, building trust and building relationships will be much more successful. Neighbors know who the shooters are. Getting neighborhood people to trust the system and take ownership of the neighborhood problems takes skilled police officers who care, and others who care to make a difference. Not cameras mounted on poles. Leadership, Mr. Newsom. Learn it, Get it, Use it.
56 agree | 50 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
All bank robberies are Federal crimes. All bank robbers belong in Federal, not State prisons.
50 agree | 48 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Like Pacifica police have anything else better to do? Plus, this artical makes it sound like anyone who rides a Harley is part of the H.A????? I ride...but I'm not part of the H.A......
48 agree | 49 disagree
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Tatiana said:
To the Writer of this Article: You should really get your story and facts correct before writing FALSE Accusations!!!!
51 agree | 41 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
To all of you idiots who actually believe the crap that you read in this newspaper...maybe someone should actually do their homework. They would find out that this article is completely altered to sell more papers.
33 agree | 32 disagree
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Rudy said:
Anybody who has actually been around the Hells Angels knows that they are family oriented, good people. I was recently at a blood drive - yes, that's right, for charity - that the Hell's Angels sponsored. Doesn't sound like murderers and rapists to me. You people believe too much of what you read.
37 agree | 41 disagree
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Sant Cruz Supporter said:
Of all the guys I know in that club, I've never known one to bring harm to women or children. Or for that matter, be anything less than a gentlemen. Even if they are rowdy ones. The guilt is on the offender. Not the patch.
32 agree | 32 disagree
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hells angels said:
This is the 6th hells angels member I have read about in the papers over the last year for crimes against women and children. the hells angels are a lowlife gang of trash that hand pick each member after a long period of getting to know each person before they are memmbers. I guess the hells angels are looking for men that rape molest and murder women and children
31 agree | 33 disagree
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Examiner Reader Timi Myers said:
This article is ridiculous.What do the Hells Angels have to do with this guys personal issues with woman?Think about it.Just because I have issues with men it doesn't make my family a bunch of man haters.
25 agree | 29 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Maybe, the Pacifica police need to keep a better eye on that kingpin that they have living over there in Pacifica. Maybe, they just might catch him before he keeps sending gang idiots out to other cities to kill and rob.
28 agree | 25 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Seems that over 6,000 reported crimes in one city is extremely high. Maybe, the police should start placing plain clothes officers all around the city on a continuous basis. Thus, changing from a mode of reactive to proactive.
24 agree | 26 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Well now, this must explain why so little crime in the city of Pacifica. Maybe, this officer should not be sent to jail at all. Seems strange that gang bangers get off with a warning, but this policeman has to go to jail, hmmmm.
26 agree | 25 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Hmm what can I say? If we want a safe community to live in then we all have to pull through and help each other as a community. Relying on the city government and the CITY police will not get us anywhere. I think Neighborhood watch programs are good and maybe we should also install surveillance cameras and lit up dark areas of our community? If that doesn't work maybe become our own "delta force"commandos and do the job ourselves!!!! I am just so sick of the violent crimes in SAn Francisco, no wonder so many people are leaving this place what a tragedy!!!
23 agree | 24 disagree
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L. Amiot said:
As always, a lack of leadership and accountability in the top eschelons. Nothing has improved in the past 4 years. On the contrary. If EVERYONE wants safe streets, why aren't they safe? We get what we vote for.
29 agree | 26 disagree
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