A CNN crew reporting the high crime rate in San Francisco fell victim to a robbery while their rental car was parked outside City Hall. CNN correspondent Kyung Lah shared on Twitter that their vehicle was vandalized, and their belongings, including her passport and ID, were stolen.
According to Fox News Digital, Lah expressed her frustration with the incident and warned travelers of the rampant theft occurring in the area. Although the hired security attempted to stop the thieves, they escaped. Lah later updated that one of the bags was recovered while the other remained missing.
“Got robbed. Again,” Lah wrote. “[CNN producer Jason Kravarik] & I were at San Francisco city hall to interview @CNN. We had security to watch our rental car + crew car. Thieves did this in under 4 seconds, and security stopped the jerks from stealing other bags. But seriously- this is ridiculous.”
San Francisco has experienced a rise in crime, particularly robberies, and assaults, leading to the closure of several Walgreens locations due to rampant shoplifting. In response, the city’s progressive district attorney Chesa Boudin was recalled by voters in 2022.
According to a report from The Hill, an NBC Sports crew was robbed at gunpoint in Oakland, California, in 2021. The robbers managed to steal a camera from the crew’s vehicle, but no one was injured during the incident, as confirmed by an Oakland Police Department spokesperson.
Sharing a video of their car’s shattered rear window, Lah tweeted, “San Francisco is a stunning city, and I’ve enjoyed my time here during our 3-day visit. However, if you plan to visit, please be aware that even with hired security keeping watch over your car, it may not be sufficient to prevent incidents like this.”
