Back in the day, San Francisco was often held up as an ideal American city. Known for having a quaint, small town feel despite being a bustling metropolis, people were so bold as to raise their families there. Those days are long gone with crime overrunning most neighborhoods as not only families but also businesses flee for greener pastures.
Waffle House worker tries to pass off stolen vehicle as a customer’s tip.
Among the many crimes which have become commonplace in San Francisco is car thefts, both break-ins of parked vehicles and armed carjackings. But the thieves have become emboldened to the point they steal government vehicles, including cop cars.
One of the latest examples involved a San Francisco Park Ranger Ford Explorer getting swiped and crashed into a building, then just left for police to retrieve.
The vehicle in question was parked at United Nations Plaza when someone broke in and was able to start the engine on the night of March 26. They drove it from there and eventually backed the crossover into a building in downtown San Francisco, then just abandoned it.
According to a report on the incident from The San Francisco Standard, the area where the Park Ranger Explorer was found is known for having open-air drug deals as well as illegal night markets. So it sounds like a lovely part of town.
Reportedly, someone saw a suspect flee the crashed crossover on foot, but police couldn’t find anyone. It sounds like they might have been able to collar anyone out on the streets in the area and probably find enough to charge them with some sort of crime.
Instead, it seems someone got away with joyriding in a city vehicle. And they’ll probably do it again.
Image via The San Francisco Standard
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