A man riding Muni’s J Church line was robbed at 22nd and Church streets at 9 p.m. on Wednesday. Three suspects, described by police as men in their 20s, boarded the train and one snatched the victim’s cell phone.
The victim tried to chase the suspect but the other two stopped him. They punched the victim in the face, and all three suspects fled on foot.
Funny, isn’t being urged to not use your phone in public to lessen the chances of it getting stolen kinda like “don’t wear that skirt if you don’t want to get raped?”
If the phone companies blacklisted stolen phones so they could not be resold, this problem would disappear.
This is SAD, that people’s response to crime is to tell potential victims to change their behavior. Who are the ones who are doing wrong? Not law abiding people. Why are we putting up with this?? It’s the criminals who should be afraid to commit crime in our city! We should demand better behavior and enforce the law. Maybe we should form our own citizen watch gangs.
When you use your smart phone or iPad on public transportation, you are basically fanning out a $00-$400 in cash for everyone to see. Would you handle that much cash on MUNI or BART? Well, that’s what you’re doing when you whip out your phone.
I read recently that the SFPD has suggested people NOT use their cell/smart phones/IPads, etc…when on Muni or BART…that there is some gang targeting people using these. Why not publicize that again? I realize that many people think they are immune, and that “it won’t happen to me”, but these crimes are now occurring more frequently AND often before midnight. I know my smart phone is attached to my hand way too often, but I think it’s time to use my HEAD and put it away when I’m on the move…walking, Muni-ing or BARTing. Don’t make yourself a target and do your part to make this City a safer place!