Auto Burglaries in the Richmond

Auto break-ins and burglaries have been a widespread problem for years all over San Francisco, including the Richmond.

Although this problem is by no means unique to the Richmond, it remains an especially widespread problem in the neighborhood with more than 700 reported auto break-ins year-to-date, according to the SFPD at the Richmond Station.

I spoke with the head of the Richmond Station, Captain Richard Corriea, recently to find out more about why this crime is such a problem in a neighborhood that is generally thought of to have relatively little crime.

He estimated that every month there are 40-60 auto break-ins and burglaries reported to police, but was quick to add that the true number was likely much higher, saying the crime was “probably significantly under reported.”

Captain Corriea said that many of the individuals who commit these crimes are repeat offenders, the so-called “career criminals” who can be in and out of a car in under a minute, often in broad daylight.

He emphasized that the solution was the in the public’s hands as much as the police’s. The police will continue to do their part, he said, but the public needs to take the economic incentive out of the crime.

“We all have something we can do here,” he said.

Items most often stolen from cars include laptops, luggage and GPS systems.

Captain Corriea offered these tips on how to avoid becoming a victim of one of these crimes:

• Remove all visible property from your car – even if it something as inconsequential as some loose change, a pack of cigarettes or an old paper bag because “There will be someone who wants to see what’s in there.”
• If you must leave something in your trunk (and it’s better not to, he said) put it in your trunk before you arrive at your destination. He also recommends disabling your interior trunk release.
• Pay attention to where you park: Park in well-lit areas with lots of foot traffic and avoid areas with houses and businesses on only one side of the street such as Fulton St.
• Manage your risk: use a car alarm if you have one or devices that deter burglars such as “the club”
• If you do become a victim of one of these crimes, report it to the police right away, many people think it won’t make a difference since these people rarely get caught but it does. Reporting break-ins to the police provides them with important information that helps them track not only the crimes but the people who commit them. And the more information they have the better the chance of catching the bad guy.

See www.sfsafe.org for more information and safety tips.