According to a report in Daily Mail, Vehicle break-ins have become so widespread in San Francisco over the last year that some desperate motorists have resorted to leaving their trunks open to prevent having their windows broken.
Two SUVs were parked side by side with their trunks ajar and no one inside in a recent snapshot taken in San Francisco.
A similar pattern has been noticed in Oakland, which has witnessed an increase in car break-ins and auto thefts as part of a bigger crime wave that has swept the Bay Area, with homicides, assaults, and thefts all on the rise.
Images of two SUVs parked next to each other in the Bay Area with their trunks open went popular online last week. Other motorists have been discouraged from following suit, according to local officials.
The owner of an SUV who leaves the trunk open told Inside Edition that she does it to indicate that there is nothing valuable inside for criminals to grab. However, Deputy Chief Garret Tom of the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) cautioned that “there’s so much that can go wrong” with doing so, noting that thieves can easily gain access to the front of the vehicle if the trunk is left open, as well as identifying documents about the owner in the glove compartment.
Break-ins in San Francisco have increased about 200 percent since last year, according to NBC Bay Area, with around 74 new break-ins reported every day. Some car owners have put “Please Use the Doors” or “Please Do Not Break Glass!!” signs in their windows. “There’s nothing inside!!”
Although it is becoming more common in the Bay Area to park a car with the doors unlocked and even the trunk open, authorities are caution motorists against it.
Vehicle thefts increased by 32% in 2021, and increased by 25% between September and October of this year. Car break-ins and vehicle burglaries have also increased by 27% this year, according to department data.
Locals whose vehicles have been stolen should file police complaints to help authorities identify perpetrators and improve patrols in impacted areas, according to SFPD public information officer Adam Lobsinger.