Police told residents from the South Beach, Rincon Hill and Mission Bay Neighborhood Associations that crime in the Southern District fell by 14 percent, but residents also discovered that vehicle robberies remain a problem.
“You can’t leave anything in the car,” said Capt. Daniel McDonough. “Don’t leave it in the trunk after you park because someone may be watching.”
Most of the crimes being committed have been nonviolent, he said.
“We’re not seeing people getting mugged left and right,” said Capitan McDonough, which is good news for residents of the three neighborhoods. He also noted that the district had expanded its nighttime plainclothes unit.
However, much of McDonough’s data failed to fully cover Mission Bay.
Its police coverage is split between districts, combining Southern – which is actually in the north, ending at Channel Street – Bayview, and Mission.
Police offense reports available online for the past two months show that in Mission Bay there were 36 instances of larceny and theft, four vehicle thefts, five assaults, six burglaries, and one count each of the following: arson, drug/narcotic, and robbery.
In all the neighborhoods, vehicle break-ins have been significant.
Monday’s meeting focused squarely on safety, and police and representatives from the district attorney’s office were on hand to answer questions. Some residents complained about the homeless and cars being driven on Pier 33.
Residents did have the opportunity to meet some of their local officers and also take in a PowerPoint presentation from the San Francisco Patrol Special Police, a self-dubbed “law enforcement group” that provides private patrolling for those who pay for their services.
Only a few businesses in the three neighborhoods have signed up for the patrolling service, none of which are in Mission Bay.