The vintage clothing store Vacation in North Beach was burglarized Thursday morning, the fourth break-in in four years for Kristin Klein’s business.
Around 5 a.m., a burglar shattered the storefront glass at Vacation, causing $2,500 in damage that won’t be covered by insurance, Klein said. She fears she will lose her insurance if she files another burglary claim, she wrote on Instagram.
“We’re very excited to give another glass company our hard earned money, and later this month keep paying that big ol’ premium to the insurance man for no reason,” she posted Thursday.
Security footage shows a masked figure wearing a hooded coat and a dark-colored backpack bursting through the lower half of Vacation’s front door, then yanking sale items from a center display shelf and off clothing racks as an alarm sounds.
Less than two minutes later, the figure stoops down to push the door’s broken glass panel aside before clambering outside.
The thief stole “beloved fixtures in the shop,” including a bunny hat such as the one seen in the cult 1997 film “Gummo” and a 1930s handmade snowman mask, Klein said.
Despite the setback, Klein remains upbeat. Her shop will participate in North Beach’s holiday night market Friday, hosting a free card-making party from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
“There will be no ‘Bah, humbugs’ from us, just an ugly plywood door for a bit while we call around for estimates,” Klein said, adding that the temporary barrier would be decorated for the holidays.
She told The Standard that the shop’s North Beach and Tenderloin locations have both been burglarized before. To verify the incidents, Klein provided police correspondence documenting her store’s past break-ins.
The San Francisco Police Department says it has responded to 4,692 burglaries this year through Sunday, an 11.5% drop from the same period last year. The city provides a grant of up to $2,000 for vandalism-related costs, which can include break-in damages.
Police did not respond Thursday to The Standard’s requests for comment on the Vacation burglary.
“The holiday is so bright and colorful, and then something like this happens,” Klein said. “It was very violating and jarring when my security system went off at 4 in the morning. Then you show up, and your business is broken into.”
Klein said it is too difficult to get a gate for her door and lamented the price of insurance.
“It’s just expensive to be in business in San Francisco, even in a nice neighborhood.”