The Facts

Reported car break-ins are down 75% since 2024 and at a 22-year low.

The Context

The improvement is not purely local: thefts from vehicles fell 17.7% across California and about 15% nationally in 2024. San Francisco’s 57% drop that year far exceeded both baselines.

Our earlier analysis found the sharp local decline began around September 2023, after Mayor London Breed, Police Chief Bill Scott, and District Attorney Brooke Jenkins launched targeted patrols, bait cars, and investigations into organized burglary crews and stolen-goods networks.

The GrowSF Take

San Francisco voters were right to approve Proposition E, giving police access to drones and faster deployment of public-safety cameras. San Francisco’s large, abrupt, and sustained decline shows targeted enforcement works.