We see this crime often and we don’t want to blame the victim – one should be able to check one’s cell anywhere – but we want to say to anyone coming out of the 16th or 24th Street BART stations – Don’t check your cell phone there.
The plazas are tricky and many a cell phone has been snatched by those distracted with their smart phones.
On Wednesday night at 10 p.m. a 24-year-old man coming out of BART at the 16th Street plaza was mugged. He had his cell phone out, said Officer Grace Gatpandan, and a 20-something man walked up to him and wanted his cell phone. Soon, five other suspects surrounded the victim. (Really, did they need six guys? )
They took the victim’s cell phone and his backpack. They then fled. The victim was treated at San Francisco General Hospital for bruises he sustained in a fall during the mugging. We’re sorry for that.
Crime is trauma and the county offers different services. Here is a link to a page of services.
Victims of violent crime can also contact the Trauma Recover Center at UCSF.
This article should be titled “Police Presence Required at BART”. Giving in to criminals never works. Those thieves were certainly going to rob someone, regardless if their victim was looking at their phone, the sky, a map, etc. An two links to city services is a weak pivot from discussing the real issue : crime at 16th is rampant.
What did these muggers look like? Did the victim not see any of them? Help us make the neighborhood safer, ML and Lydia Chavez, or at least explain why you can’t (e.g., did the SFPD not provide any descriptions, was the victim not able to see them somehow)?
Chris: The problem is there was not much of a description – and there generally isn’t. Crime happens quickly. The age estimate here was from 20 to 30 I believe. In our experience of doing these reports, there is a lot of cell phone crime at the BART plazas and a crime often starts with someone having their cell phone out. Best, Lydia
I hear it might also be smart to not flash your wallet, not wear skimpy clothes and not walk alone late at night in the Mission. It does amaze me though how much I pay in taxes (and BART fees) for this place to be as dodgy as it is.
A good illustration of why both BART plazas should be built over with condos. Let’s get rid of these magnets for crime.
Wow,,,six guys to steal a cell phone. Was it part of a muggers training program?