There's plenty of holiday spirit in Noe Valley, but people are on edge after a man in a Santa hat, claiming to raise money for charity, was caught on tape entering a home, which he is then accused of burglarizing.
A doorbell with a camera showed a San Francisco homeowner that a man wearing a Santa hat and bow tie was at his front door. He didn't think anything of it until the camera kept rolling.
The surveillance footage captured that the suspected burglar had broken the front door and was “moving in and out of the house,” said the victim, who asked to stay anonymous, but shared the video with his neighbors.
Turns out, the suspect was working the neighborhood Thursday.
Maria Cabrera said the man told her his name was Happy Feet and that he and his friend were fundraising for charity.
Cabrera said she had a nagging feeling about the man, but his outfit – mistakenly – eased her suspicions.
“He [was] ringing other doorbells at other houses, I said, ‘It's OK,’” she said.
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With a broken door frame and missing valuables, the burglary victim wants community members to know the suspect’s team is not helping the needy. They’re stealing valuables and spoiling the spirit of the season.
“People who are willing to burglarize your home can masquerade as someone you think you can trust,” the homeowner said.
