A series of burglaries targeting restaurants and bars in San Francisco’s Richmond district has frustrated business owners, who are demanding police action.
Two establishments were broken into last week, resulting in thousands of dollars worth of property damage and stolen goods, while a third suffered damages from an attempted break-in.
The Inner Richmond reported 113 burglaries in the 12 months to Monday, a 19% increase from the same period a year earlier, according to San Francisco Police Department data analyzed by The Standard. The Outer Richmond saw a 25% increase in burglaries over the same period. Citywide, burglaries are down 13%.
Police confirmed the three incidents.
Officers arrived at Foghorn Taproom around 12:30 p.m. Thursday and found “significant damage” and signs of forced entry. A register and cash were missing.
Less than 20 minutes later, officers patrolling Clement Street were flagged down by people reporting a burglary at Richmond Republic Draught House. Investigators later learned that several suspects had broken in overnight, damaging property and taking cash before fleeing.
Ender Markal, owner of both businesses, said about $3,000 in cash was taken from Richmond Republic, which suffered around $600 in damages. Foghorn Taproom saw $600 in damage to its windows; a cash box worth about $250 was found by a customer down the street, but “it was not usable,” Markal said.
In surveillance footage, three people wearing baseball hats, face masks, gloves, hooded jackets, and sneakers can be seen in the kitchen at Richmond Republic, looking through boxes on a shelf and taking items before wandering off into another room. At Foghorn, cameras detected one hooded suspect.
“It seems like they come into a street, and then they hit every 10 blocks or 15 blocks, whatever the method is,” Markal said. While awaiting a full police report, he was bracing for increased insurance rates and checking quotes on new metal security gates. “One quote we got is $5,000, just for those accordion gates.”
Markal said he can’t stop accepting cash payments, a move that might deter thieves. In May 2019, the Board of Supervisors amended the city’s police code to require brick-and-mortar businesses to accept cash for single transactions up to $5,000.
“Accepting cash, especially at the bars, makes us a target,” he said. “They know there’s going to be some cash, even though 96% of our sales are credit cards. The city doesn’t allow us to say we don’t accept cash anymore because of this. So we’re like sitting ducks. Even when there is no cash in there, they break in, and then we have to pay for the damage.”
Markal said he had heard about last month’s burglary at Hamburger Haven, where an antique cash register was taken. He said an increased police presence is needed to protect businesses.
Police also confirmed an attempted break-in Thursday at Big Fish House on Clement Street.
“They broke our door window,” staffer Jasmine Huang told The Standard this week. “It was at 6 in the morning, and we just had an alarm go off.”
In a statement last month after the Hamburger Haven burglary, the Clement Street Merchants Association said it was working with affected businesses and liaising with city officials to provide resources and assistance.
In an emailed statement in August, Cpt. Chris Canning of the SFPD’s Richmond station told The Standard that officers will “maximize their visibility in the area during their patrols” when not responding to calls for service.
Some business owners say that’s not enough.
“People say crime was in SF in decades prior. But it’s a different style or type of crime, and it’s more often than is reported,” Hamburger Haven owner Roozbeh Falahati said in a text message. “It’s not the same city. Everyone knows that.”
After learning of last week’s burglaries, Falahati weighed in again. “Last year, from August to January, it was about two or three times a week,” he said. “No arrests, no deterrence, didn’t stop until the perpetrators decided it was time to move to a new area.”