Target Security Guard Speaks Out on Crime in San Francisco
A lifelong Mission resident quit his job as a security guard at a downtown Target store because he didn’t feel safe.
Rafael witnessed brazen shoplifting every day. People filled laundry baskets and garbage bags with items. They emptied shelves and walked out with impunity. Some encounters turned violent, like when he had to dodge wine bottles being smashed on the floor.
Rafael’s story is compelling. He was once drug addicted and homeless. He found help and turned his life around. Now he’s worried that today’s addicts won’t seek help because they can so easily feed their habit in San Francisco by shoplifting.
The New York Times recently reported on “San Francisco’s shoplifting surge.” The San Francisco Examiner reported that prosecution rates for shoplifting in San Francisco fell from 70 percent in 2019 to 44 percent in 2020.
Rafael is a member of Stop Crime SF and reached out for help in telling his story. Stop Crime SF’s Court Reporter program connected Rafael with local journalists.
Read the full Here/Say Media article on Rafael Gutierrez.
