State Senator Scott Wiener announced a new bill Thursday aimed at addressing car break-ins.
“We know that we have an auto break-in, big problem in San Francisco for a long time,” Wiener said.
He says the bill will better help prosecutors hold people accountable who are breaking into cars and he explained how current laws work.
“There is a requirement that in order to prove that someone is guilty of breaking into a car, of auto burglary, you have to prove that the door was locked. So, even if you have a video of the person smashing the window, even if there is clear evidence the person broke into the car,” he said.
The new legislation eliminates a requirement that he says makes no sense. He was joined by San Francisco city leaders at the Palace of Fine Arts, a popular tourist spot where rental cars have repeatedly been targeted by car burglars.
“Can you imagine being a tourist going to a city and not only having the rental car broken into but having your passport stolen and having your trip delayed or disrupted? And then to return to your city that you came from and tell everyone about this bad experience that happened right here in San Francisco,” said San Francisco Mayor London Breed.
Under current laws, supporter say that cases often don’t proceed because people don’t recall if they locked the doors or the victims are from out of town. It's something people have to prove to get an auto burglary conviction currently.
“I believe that the statistic at this point is that in 2023 alone, we have had more than 15,000 reported auto burglaries. It is a crime that we must address in this city,” said San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins.
Data shows a 10% reduction so far this year compared to the same time last year. But for residents or visitors who have had their window is smashed, it’s a real problem.
Get a weekly recap of the latest San Francisco Bay Area housing news. Sign up for NBC Bay Area’s Housing Deconstructed newsletter.
