Fed up with break-ins, Chinatown merchants make changes
SAN FRANCISCO (KPIX) -- Small business owners in San Francisco's Chinatown are fed up with a spike in vandalism and break-ins. In an effort to prevent the next hit, some are making small changes they hope make a big difference.
Asia Star Fantasy on Grant Avenue shared surveillance video that shows a burglar sitting on the ground outside the business in the overnight hours of July 18. He looks left and right several times then he breaks the glass door with a tool.
About 40 minutes later, another camera captured what appears to be the same suspect communicating with an accomplice in an alley down the street. Soon after, another thief enters the store and grabs the cash register.
The mom-and-pop shop suffered at least $4,000 in damages.
"We all immigrants to this country and we work so hard and you feel like they are very organized group, targeting easy people (who) really don't complain much," said owner Nancy Yu.
Yu said she doesn't plan to remove the plywood that covers the new glass door any time soon.
She and her husband also own nearby New Love Tea on Broadway.
"I was really worried since that happened, 'cause the glass is very expensive so I was so worried I couldn't even go to sleep for a couple nights," she added.
San Francisco police said there have been 10 commercial burglaries in the past 45 days or so in Chinatown. Yu said police told her they are investigating four different groups targeting small businesses.
The rise in such crimes brought merchants together at a vandalism-prevention workshop Friday attended by SFPD, the fire department and other city agencies and community groups. It was hosted by the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association and BeChinatown.
Lion's Den bar and lounge owner Steven Lee attended the meeting where he urged fellow business owners to buy stronger locks from popular hardware stores.
"They appreciate everything that the police and the city's doing. Don't get me wrong that they're upset. The whole purpose of the meeting is to be more proactive because it's going to be a long process to take care of all the issues we have," Lee said. "So, in the meantime, just by changing the lock from a small lock to the heavier lock it makes a big difference."
Lee said he hasn't had any break-ins at his newer establishment but he has had three attempted burglaries in the past year at his other restaurant Sam Wo in Chinatown.
Lee said nonprofit SF SAFE pledged to purchase 50 heavy-duty locks for merchants after attending Friday's meeting.