'It's unbearable': Robbers steal $40K worth of designer glasses from San Francisco Mission District store
SAN FRANCISCO (KPIX) -- A small, family-owned business in San Francisco isn't sure how much more it can take after robbers stole from them yet again, and hurt one of their employees.
Just before noon on Monday, two robbers made off with $40,000 worth of designer eyewear from Veo Optics located at 798 Valencia Street in the Mission.
Each frame starts at around $400.
Optician Lana Russu said she recognized the suspects as soon as they walked in.
"They've stolen from us before, they've stolen from the Marina shop and, of course, they come straight to our Dior area, grab two glasses, I tried retrieve them, grabbed one and the guy later just says 'I'm going to pepper spray you,'" said Russu. "I jumped back so he only got half of my face."
Russu's coworker tried to help.
"My colleague tried to charge towards them and do something about it, but one of them looked like he was reaching for something in his pocket, like a gun, so he stepped back, it's not worth it," she added. "It's not fair."
Veo Optics has been operating in San Francisco since 2009. The owner's nephew Jesse Pascoe says they've been hit three times in the last two weeks. First, they targeted their shop in the Marina. Thirty minutes after that theft, they hit the Veo Optics store in the Mission. In total, Pascoe said they got away with $16,000 worth of merchandise that day.
"This is hurting us, it's draining us, the emotional, financial strain, it's unbearable," said Pascoe. "At this stage we need help.".
He said trying to emerge from the pandemic has been challenging enough.
"And then to get a call in the middle of the day saying that one of our female employees just got pepper sprayed - it hurts," he added.
The family is set on opening a new store outside of San Francisco, in Sonoma County.