Stealing soap, gold chains, and high-end jackets—crime has been sweeping through Daly City with a flurry of robberies and vehicle burglaries, according to the Daly City Police Department's latest crime alert. Over the span of two short weeks, from November 13 to November 26, the city witnessed a total of eight robberies and five vehicle burglaries that have left residents rattled and authorities on high alert.
On a Monday night, a victim experienced violence firsthand when two suspects assaulted him after he parked his vehicle on Saint Francis Boulevard and Belhaven Avenue. In a brazen act, the perpetrators made off with his wallet containing $300 and identification documents and snatched a $200 gold chain from around his neck. In a quote obtained by the Daly City Police, the shaken victim described his assailants as roughly 28–30 years old and cloaked in black.
Supermarkets seemed to be a prime target, with the Lucky Supermarket falling victim to soap-stealing bandits. "An employee stated that both suspects concealed soap in their backpacks," reported the Daly City Police. When confronted, one suspect chillingly implied he was armed and threatened the store employee, while the other alluded to violent retribution with a phrase that would send a chill down anyone's spine: "If you touch me, I'll touch you back." as per Daly City Police report. Later, officers located one suspect alongside the soap bounty stashed across the street.
Not even holiday shopping could escape unscathed, with Nordstrom Rack and Macy's experiencing thefts that turned aggressive. As described on official Daly City Police alerts, one brazen shoplifter at Nordstrom Rack used physical force to retain $250 worth of lifted boots and jackets. Meanwhile, at Macy's, a 50-year-old resident was eventually cuffed for robbery after a tussle with a loss prevention officer and an $800 merchandise haul. Vehicle burglaries also saw residents' possessions vanish, including broken windows and the back of power tools, MacBook Airs, and personal items like gym bags and Apple watches.
Despite the recent surge in criminal activity, the police report highlighted the absence of residential and commercial burglaries, a silver lining in an otherwise crime-stricken fortnight. Furthermore, six out of nine stolen vehicles were recovered through diligent law enforcement efforts. Amidst the wave of crime, however, Daly City has sought to strengthen the bond within the community with initiatives like the announcement of the 2024–25 Daly City Youth Poet Laureate program and the promotion of the San Mateo County Alert System to keep locals in the loop during emergencies, the department stated.
