San Francisco – Some City by the Bay residents have reported an increase in car break-ins, burglaries and robberies, telling Fox News the city is becoming more dangerous.
“Safety in San Francisco is getting worse,” Andrea, a babysitter, told Fox News. “I’ve lived here my whole life – it’s always been a bit unsafe, it’s a big city, but lately, it’s just been crazy.”
“My mom even got her car stolen from outside our house and there’s no police to respond,” Nene continued. “It’s alarming.”
Both murders and robberies are up in double digits – 12% and 13% respectively – compared to this time last year. According to San Francisco police data. Motor vehicle theft also increased by 9 percent, while other crimes such as theft, burglary and assault decreased.
San Francisco residents think the city is getting more dangerous:
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“Yes, guilt is certain,” Christie said. “I definitely see cars getting smashed.”
But David, a 12-year resident of San Francisco, told Fox News: “I never once felt unsafe.”
Although its crime trends are better than other major cities, San Francisco is “worse than the data shows,” Charles “Cooley” Stimson, a senior legal fellow at the Heritage Foundation and a former city prosecutor, told Fox News in April. Crimes go unreported because of low trust in police and county prosecutors, artificially softening the data, he said.
Wooden boards cover the windows of a Walgreens in San Francisco’s No Valley neighborhood. (Jon Michael Rush/Fox News Digital)
“Before, there wasn’t as much crime because there was more police surveillance,” Andrea said. “Now, you barely see them.”
“I know it’s not their fault because they’re defiant and there aren’t many of them,” she continued. “But it would be nice to have that protection.”
San Francisco cut law enforcement spending in 2020, but then increased the police budget over the next two years. According to the city report. The San Francisco Police Department’s number of full-duty sworn officers is at its lowest level in a decade, despite an increase in law enforcement funding in the city’s latest budget. Displays police data.
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Jeff, a young father, told Fox News: “In general it feels like things are less safe, a little more dangerous.”
A group of teenagers attacked and robbed several mothers and children in an affluent San Francisco neighborhood last month. Residents told Fox News that the incident created a sense of lawlessness in the area.
Grocery and convenience stores in the city have been victims of widespread retail theft in recent years. Whole Foods’ flagship location closed in April due to safety concerns. Walgreens has closed at least six locations in the city since 2021, a spokeswoman said, citing “organized retail crime” as the reason for five of the closures.
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Grocery store chain Safeway installed anti-theft security gates at self-checkouts this month to combat theft. Patrons must scan receipts at security doors to exit the store.
Residents are especially concerned about their safety at night.
“There are times when you might be more concerned about going to a certain neighborhood in the city at a certain time of night,” Terry told Fox News. “It’s getting worse, just getting worse.”
A San Francisco store owner told Fox News Digital that his store was robbed in June, costing $100,000. (Cigarettes R Cheaper)
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Jeff said: “There are times when I’ll say, ‘Yeah, maybe I’ll stay inside a little bit’ if it’s after night or dark where you feel I’m taking a risk.
“It’s not fun to think about,” he continued.
To view the full interview with San Francisco residents, click here.
Source by [Fox News]
