Authorities said an individual who attempted to rob an optical store in San Francisco used a blowtorch to pry open the doors of the store.
On Sunday, February 28, Alexander Daas’ San Francisco Optics, located on Chestnut Street, was broken into at around 6:00 a.m. Video footage from a surveillance camera showed the moment before the suspect broke the store’s glass.
Failed Blowtorching
However, despite his efforts, the criminal was not able to enter the shop due to the glass being heavily reinforced. The shop’s owner, Alex Feldman, said the incident was the third time his store was attempted to be broken into since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“They are kicking us when we are down — to do this on top of everything else. We kept everybody employed, and we need to be able to cover those bills with no business, but now we’re getting hit with these extra expenses,” Feldman said.
The shop owner said the damage to the glass from the three separate attacks would cost about $10,000. Feldman said he was unsure of reporting the incidents to his insurance in fear of being removed or having to pay increased fees, CBS Local reported.
San Francisco has seen a surge of burglaries, nearly 60% higher since the beginning of the year, compared to last year. In the northern parts of the city, robberies have increased by more than 90%.
