The larcenous pair backed a U-Haul van through the glass doors of a Patagonia store on North Point street and took thousands of dollars worth of merchandise before driving off, stunning the popular tourist neighborhood.
The store’s main doors and several windows were smashed, and displays inside the store were destroyed, according to ABC-TV’s San Francisco affiliate, Channel 7.
“It’s pretty brazen to have that happen in a neighborhood that’s mostly families and quiet at night,” said Diego Munoz, a neighborhood resident who was awakened by the sound of breaking glass.
“I only saw them grab an armful before they took off,” Munoz said.
No damage estimate was available Monday and employees at the store declined to comment, Channel 7 said.
“The robbery happened at 3:30 in the morning on North Point Street at Hyde,” San Francisco Police Sgt. Fitz Wong said.
“Some other units saw the U-Haul van and they did try and pursue it,” said Wong said.
The store manager also declined to comment on camera, but did tell Channel 7 that the robbers took a lot of merchandise from the upscale outdoor clothing and equipment store where down jackets start at $200.
The manager also said the store would check its surveillance footage to see if its system took a good picture of the burglars.
Nearby resident Erica Lieppman said she was surprised that she did not awaken during the burglary, which she said was a surprise since the neighborhood is generally safe.
“I always feel safe and nothing bad has ever happened,” she said
Police said they had a partial license plate number for the U-Haul used in the burglary: AG135.
