Over the weekend, burglars broke into SF CASA, a local nonprofit dedicated to assisting foster children and youth, and made off with various items, including electronic devices, supplies, and an almost-new guitar.
The incident likely took place Friday night, when the perpetrators gained access to the building at 2535 Mission St. through a patio door on the roof, said Paul Knudsen, director of development and communications at SF CASA.
Knudsen described the break-in as “opportunistic.” Although their front door is equipped with a Ring security camera, an extra screen, and a combination lock, Knudsen acknowledged that they had not applied any of these security measures to their roof patio door. It remains unclear how the intruders gained access to the roof, although Knudsen mentioned that people are frequently up there.
Among the stolen items were several monitors, air filters, four laptops (including one MacBook), one iPad, and various supplies from the bathroom and kitchen. The intruders stashed their haul in plastic bags found on-site.
Alexis, an SF CASA staff member, discovered the burglary when she arrived at work at 8 a.m. Tuesday morning. Knudsen said the office looked visibly ransacked: Drawers and cabinets were ajar, and office supplies were strewn around the floor and desks. Notably, the client files, containing sensitive information, remained untouched.
Alexis promptly contacted the authorities and, by Tuesday afternoon, two police officers had investigated and documented the incident. Estimates indicate that the stolen items amount to a few thousand dollars in value.
In response to the break-in, SF CASA has taken immediate measures to bolster security. All passwords have been changed to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive data. Additionally, the organization has scheduled a locksmith to enhance the security of their patio door, as well as a handyman to inspect the security of their windows.
SF CASA also intends to use social media platforms to inform the community about the incident and seek assistance, although no GoFundMe campaign has been launched at this time. As the investigation continues, anyone with information regarding the break-in is urged to contact the local authorities or SF CASA directly.
Scary how lax security was
Why no security guard ?
Hope they’re doing the right thing . Should be offering identity theft insurance to all employees and anyone who came to the is place . Please be more secure with private data.
This is a direct consequence of poor police morale, a permissive culture, and a deep reluctance in the Bay Area to expect any sense of accountability for criminals. The funniest thing is that when you poll minorities, they actually want MORE police, and not less. The fact that we let a small, very vocal, and majority white minority group transform the discourse into an anti-policing, pro criminal-first and victim-last discourse leaves the most vulnerable without any help. I hate the fact that we force poor, majority, immigrant population in the Tenderloin and the Mission to deal with the consequences of selfish, foolish decisions of white families living in the Excelsior.