San Francisco Car Window Smashings Traced To Auto Glass Repair Shops
They wanted to make auto glass repair great again.
An SFPD investigation revealed that a recent uptick in car break-ins was being coordinated and carried out by local auto glass repair shops.
Car break-ins have long been rampant in San Francisco, run by organized groups who targeted multiple cars per day. Recent SFPD enforcement has dramatically reduced break-ins, with some neighborhoods reporting reductions of more than 70%. But previously bustling auto glass repair shops have suffered a precipitous drop in business. As a result, some shops attempted to pivot their businesses to different types of auto services, while others resorted to extreme measures to make auto glass repair great again.
Two recently apprehended burglars were discovered to be employees at Bay Auto Glass, a local shop specializing in repairing broken car windows. After further investigation, the SFPD discovered that Bay Area Auto Glass owner Frank Lu had offered bonuses for employees to break into cars by smashing their windows, a practice known colloquially as “bipping.”
Mr. Lu told investigators that he started the scheme to stimulate more demand for his glass repair business, not for financial gain from stolen goods. “We’re not thieves. We were just exploring new customer acquisition funnels for our business,” he said. “The goal was to build a virtuous cycle into our customer experience.”
Mayor Lurie has reportedly assembled a task force to investigate ways to stimulate demand for local businesses without inconveniencing San Francisco voters. One proposal involves limiting window smashing only to cars rented by tourists, while another envisions employing homeless people as window smashers as a way to get them off the streets.
In the meantime, reports of car break-ins continue to fall. Mr. Lu is adamant that this is bad for the city. “This over-policing is harming local business owners and changing the character of the neighborhood. It’s just another way these politicians are accelerating gentrification in San Francisco.”