About 20 years ago I had dinner with a friend at a restaurant downtown one evening when my car, which was parked in a metered space along The Embarcadero, got broken into. The thieves got away with my laptop, files, address book, some photos, etc., before fading into the night.
I first realized something as amiss when I returned to the car after dinner to find it unlocked. I never left the car unlocked, even when outside of my house for five minutes, never.
When I saw my briefcase was missing, I panicked and tried to think of who to call. Before I could think of anyone, my cellphone rang and it was a stranger who had found the contents of my briefcase (absent the laptop) blowing across a street on the south side of the city.
“I was with my wife walking the dog when we saw your stuff,” he told me. “I said to her, ‘that’s someone’s life flying around out there; we gotta gather it up’ and she helped me get it all. That’s how I found your number.”
Grateful, I drove to his address and reclaimed my personal items.
But the laptop and the briefcase were long gone, so I went to an electronics store, Fry’s, in Palo Alto with one of my students from Stanford and purchased a new laptop for $2000 and a case to carry it in.
A few days later I was talking with San Francisco’s D.A., Terence “Kayo” Hallinan and told him what had happened.
“All too typical,” he sighed. “Happens every night. The only shot you’ve got at finding your laptop is from the guys selling stolen goods in the Tenderloin. If they have it they probably would sell it back to you for about a hundred bucks.”
He told me when and where to go.
I went there but of course had no luck recovering my stolen computer. After that I put away this whole bad memory with lots of others; it only popped up again a few nights ago as I listened to the current D.A., Chesa Boudin, explain how he is trying to deal with the car and store break-ins that still plague the city, two decades later.
He explained that there are organized gangs who carry out these crimes, most of them are from outside of San Francisco. They come in, make their move and then sell whatever they can steal to fencing operations. Everything ends up back on the street.
Lately I’ve noticed the current stolen goods market is along Mission just north of the 24th Street Bart station. Vendor after vendor is selling the pilfered goods — mainly packaged toiletries like toothpaste and shampoo still in their original containers laid out on tables or blankets alongside the busy thoroughfare.
Boudin described his frustration at trying to work with police and other law enforcement officials to interdict such operations. By the time the items get to the street sellers, the trail leading back to the gangs robbing Walgreen’s or the car thieves is cold.
Such crime is and long been endemic in San Francisco and other major cities. I had my car broken into at least six times during the years I lived in the city. At first I reported the crimes, until I realized that there was virtually no chance prosectors or the police would ever catch and convict the perpetrators.
Organized crime rings do occasionally get broken up by the FBI, or DEA or other federal or state investigators, but only rarely. The criminals usually stay one step ahead of the cops, which is why we need social programs addressing the root causes of crime — poverty, education, discrimination and addiction services — as advocated by progressive officials like Boudin.
I wish more of my fellow voters realized that until the vicious cycle of poverty gets broken, such crimes waves will continue as well. So don’t blame officials trying to reform the system. Listen to them instead.
TODAY’S NEWS (41):
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Roe leak may impact how Supreme Court decides gun rights, climate and immigration cases this spring (CNN)
Panic turns to strategy in White House pursuit to protect abortion (WP)
Once Close Allies, Roberts and Alito Have Taken Divergent Paths (NYT)
It’s Chief Justice Roberts’ Court, but does he still lead? (AP)
How the reversal of Roe v. Wade could impact the transgender community (NPR)
Louisiana Republicans advance bill that would charge abortion as homicide (WP)
Abortion Pills Stand to Become the Next Battleground in a Post-Roe America (NYT)
Advocates worry other rights at risk if court overturns Roe (AP)
In midterm battlegrounds, both parties try to weaponize abortion (NBC)
President Joe Biden referred to the Trump-led “MAGA” crowd as “the most extreme political organization” in “recent American history.” The comment came in response to a question about the Supreme Court’s draft opinion that would overturn Roe v. Wade, which, as written, also attacks landmark LGBTQ civil rights cases. “This is about a lot more than abortion,” Biden said. "What are the next things that are going to be attacked?" [HuffPost]
America’s Blue-Red Divide Is About to Get Starker (Atlantic)
Attacks on Mariupol steelworks intensify as Russia looks to end standoff; fate of Ukraine’s Donbas in the balance (CNBC)
Besieged Mariupol steel plant in ‘critical’ situation, official says (WP)
U.S. Intelligence Is Helping Ukraine Kill Russian Generals, Officials Say (NYT)
U.S. denies providing Ukraine intel specifically to target Russian generals (CBS)
Russians steal vast amounts of Ukrainian grain and equipment, threatening this year’s harvest (CNN)
Russia Announces Three-Day Cease-Fire For Civilians To Evacuate Mariupol Steel Plant (NBC)
UNHCR: Over 5.7 million have fled Ukraine (NHK)
When Russian troops retreated from Ukraine’s Bucha they left reminders of their deadly occupation for all the world to see. As prosecutors begin the work of identifying those responsible for alleged atrocities, Reuters has examined the aftermath of Russia’s hasty retreat – and found vital clues to the identities of individual soldiers and military units present during the bloody occupation. (Reuters)
Americans Are Missing a Key Stratum of Modern Knowledge — To understand how climate change is altering our planet, it helps to know a little Earth science. (Atlantic)
Afghans who want teen girls back in school have new allies: Taliban-affiliated clerics (NPR)
Climate change is putting the Jamestown settlement at risk. — The Virginia site was added to the list of the country’s most endangered historical places yesterday. It’s battling rising water levels and increasingly frequent, damaging rains. (WP)
A collection of foresters, scientists and land managers will plant 200,000 first-year giant sequoias in an effort to rebuild the forest. (San Francisco Chronicle)
Why soil is one of the most amazing things on Earth (BBC)
If you've had omicron before, are you safe from infection by the new variants? (NPR)
Nearly 15 million deaths related to covid-19, WHO estimates (WP)
WHO Says 15 Million Have Died From Pandemic, With Highest Toll in India (WSJ)
Coronavirus far deadlier than official count, WHO estimate suggests (Financial Times)
Fed issues biggest rate hike in 22 years (CNN)
Fed Makes Biggest Interest Rate Increase Since 2000 as High Inflation Persists (NYT)
Digital-Ad Giants Google, Facebook, Amazon Come Down From Pandemic Highs (WSJ)
Rising interest rates in US will hinder foreign economies (AP)
Dow plunges 1,100 points as Wall Street sell-off accelerates (WP)
The Bank of England raised interest rates to their highest since 2009 at 1% to counter inflation now heading above 10%, even as it sent a warning that Britain risks falling into recession. British private-sector growth slowed to its weakest pace in four months in April as businesses raised prices on the broadest basis since at least the late 1990s, a closely watched survey showed. (Reuters)
Why Biden is in Danger of Replicating Woodrow Wilson’s Propaganda Machine (Politico)
Oath Keeper details pre-Jan. 6 planning, pleads to seditious conspiracy (WP)
HR Director Reminds Employees That Any Crying Done At Office Must Be Work-Related (The Onion)
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