SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (KRON) - A San Francisco family had a home invasion scare for a second time last night just three months after armed suspects broke into their home in Bernal Heights.
Both times the suspects were caught on surveillance video.
This latest break-in attempt happened Wednesday at their home near Peralta and Powhattan Avenues.
The couple says break-ins have been an ongoing issue for their neighborhood but they never thought they'd be the victim yet again.
This happening just hours after the district attorney, city supervisor, and police held a community meeting Wednesday night about the increasing burglaries.
Home and business burglaries are increasing in San Francisco's Bernal Heights neighborhood and it's no surprise to Cathy Couillard.
Her family is reliving a home invasion nightmare for the second time in just three months.
"It's just been a series of criminal incidents happening in our neighborhood that we're experiencing firsthand not once, but twice," Couillard said.
Most recently, a suspect seen on neighborhood surveillance video Wednesday night was caught canvassing cars before making his way to the Couillard's home.
He got through their front gate and then threatened to kill the Couillard's friend who was house sitting when the suspect attempted to break into their home.
"She heard an alarm sensor go off so she comes downstairs and basically sees a guy with a cap on, a bandana as a mask and basically asked him what he wanted and the guy just goes "go upstairs or I'm going to kill you" so extremely frightening and jarring," Couillard said.
Couillard says the suspect ran off soon after, however, her family wasn't as lucky the first time.
Surveillance video from November just moments before two armed suspects broke into their home as they were sleeping.
"I'm terrified for ourselves. I'm also terrified for our neighbors. A lot of them have kids. My husband and I are expecting our first baby in June and so it really makes all of this much more urgent like we don't want to put our young ones in danger and it's just unsettling that our child might be born into a neighborhood that is riddled with crime," Couillard said.
According to San Francisco police data, burglaries in its Ingleside District which includes Bernal Heights have increased 40% in 2020 compared to the previous year.
It's something that's now grabbing the attention of police, the district attorney, and their district supervisor who held a meeting about the increasing burglaries Wednesday night just hours before this suspect targeted the couillards home.
Supervisor Hillary Ronen says they believe it's a result of pandemic desperation and less visitors in the city.
"What they believe is happening is because tourism has albeit stopped in San Francisco that people who previously were robbing tourists in San Francisco have switched to home invasions," Ronen said.
Supervisor Ronen says she's told that police will reroute some of its resources for more patrols in this area.
from KRON4 https://ift.tt/3tYSrgr
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