How I Escaped A Carjacking In Golden Gate Park
Photographer Andrew Bland was targeted by robbers for his equipment and escaped an attempted carjacking after taking photos of owls in Golden Gate Park.
This is part of a series of blog posts where crime victims share their experience in their own words.
By Andrew Bland
I had just finished photographing great horned owls in Golden Gate Park around 8pm on May 20 when I saw a small white car pull up and abruptly stop right next to another photographer who was also packing up their equipment. A masked man jumped out and began smashing in the rear window of the other photographer’s car.
By the time I realized that I was witnessing an aggressive robbery, I managed to get into my car and start the engine. In less than 10 seconds the men had finished robbing the other person and had now pulled up alongside me.
The passenger-side door opened and the masked assailant began to step out, ready to smash his way into my car. With only a few seconds to spare, I stepped on the gas and pulled away.
We were near the bison paddock on JFK Drive. I expected them to give up and flee. But they chased me, and pulled up alongside me, either trying to run me off the road or cut me off and stop me. I sped up and got ahead of them.
We reached speeds close to 50 miles per hour as the assailants chased right behind me. We ran through two stop signs and barreled over speed bumps for nearly a mile before they slowed down, made a U-turn, and disappeared out the 30th Ave gate.
I circled back and by then the cops were there. I gave a statement, along with the other victim and two witnesses. Nobody saw the faces of the assailants or the license plate of their car. They were fast, prepared, and extremely aggressive.
(Please note, I bike this road nearly every day and am very respectful of more vulnerable road users. When the assailants were chasing me, I tried to give the few cyclists that happened to be out a wide berth as we passed.)
The police officer explained that these smash-and-grabs are merely considered property crimes and are not considered violent crimes (yes, you read that correctly) so they don't really pursue them. I was also told that if they made an arrest, the judge would just let them go, including repeat offenders. The officer even said if police were to witness one of these incidents occur, they would not chase the culprits.
The officer also said if a victim tried to fight back and injure one of these thieves during a robbery, then the crime victim would likely be charged with assault for using violence against a "non-violent" criminal. Unbelievable.
Why does living in San Francisco have to be so scary and so very frustrating?
Be careful out there. I will no longer do photography in Golden Gate Park. It’s just too dangerous and you are a sitting duck with expensive camera equipment. It’s unsettling to learn that the police won’t be there when you need them. And even if they were, they apparently wouldn't help you anyway.
I'm sharing this story as a reminder to others to stay in groups, and always be aware of your surroundings, and never assume you're safe — even in your car.