By Jonathan Farrell 

Despite San Francisco Police Department reassurances, local merchants in the Richmond District are not pleased with police efforts to deter break-ins and burglaries. 

Restaurant owner Roozbleh Falahati expressed his frustration as his eatery, Hamburger Haven on Clement Street, got broken into on Sept. 20.

The initial response was immediate by SFPD. But Falahati says, “break-ins” continue throughout the neighborhood. 

“On Sept. 22 another business on Clement was broken into,” he said. 

Falahati stays in contact with fellow merchants via group emails almost daily. 

Falahati who inherited Hamburger Haven from his father, has worked in the restaurant most of his life. He grew up in the Richmond District and knows the area very well. Yet over the years, “especially since the pandemic” (COVID-19) he has seen a decline in the quality of public services provided and offered, especially for merchants and small businesses in the City. 

“It’s as if we have no voice,” said Falahati. “We are vulnerable, yet local merchants and businesses are the backbone of the neighborhoods.” 

Falahati isn’t alone, David Heller, president of the Greater Geary Boulevard Merchants and Property Owners Association, knows all too well about the increase of burglaries, petty-crime and graffiti that plagues business-owners along the merchant corridors in the district. 

“My business got hit three times this past year. Richmond Station is short-staffed and the last time my business got hit by a burglar there was only one patrol car in the area to respond,” Heller said. 

Heller said in the previous 37 years doing business on Geary, his store was never burglarized. 

“Geary, Clement, Balboa, California streets, these have all become ‘gated-communities’ in a manner of speaking because most storefronts have gates and corrugated roll-up covers over their doors and windows,” he added. 

Heller agrees with Falahati that there has been a decline in overall public service to the community, especially since COVID-19. 

“It’s also because of Prop. 47, that ballot initiative that got passed in 2014,” he said. “Robbery and theft of less than $950 is treated as a misdemeanor offense.” 

SFPD’s Capt. Chris Canning at the Richmond Station reassured Falahati by saying via email: “While we will endeavor to ensure officers will be on Clement … they are obligated to respond to prioritized calls for service and conduct follow-up investigations related to responses to previous calls for service.“ 

It is in the early morning hours after midnight and just before dawn when burglar activity occurs most. 

“It’s like these petty-theft criminals are targeting us out here on Clement and in the avenues,” said Falahati. 

He mentioned the Star India Restaurant, which has been burglarized more than once. Restaurant manager Sukh Kaur told the press on Oct. 13: “We had three break-ins within just a month. The person was able to come inside the restaurant and got a hold of a few things; got a hold of cash. It’s mostly petty cash, iPads, credit card payment devices and stuff like that. But it’s still a crime and it impacts us.” 

Richmond District Supervisor Connie Chan said: “It is devastating when our small businesses are regularly victims of crime. I’m working to bring merchants and law enforcement together so our businesses know about resources available to them.”