Shotgun, rifle, ammunition stolen from police vehicle in San Francisco
Two firearms, ammunition and a bulletproof vest were stolen in San Francisco on Friday night from a San Mateo County sheriff’s deputy’s vehicle, authorities said.
The weapons, which included a shotgun and rifle, were taken from an unmarked vehicle that belonged to an “outside police agency” shortly before 10 p.m. on Jones Street in the Tenderloin District, according to a statement issued by the San Francisco Police Department.
An undisclosed amount of ammunition and a Kevlar vest were also stolen, according to police, who said a group of “unknown suspects” broke into the vehicle.
The deputy, who was not identified, was assigned to an FBI task force based out of San Francisco at the time of the thefts, according to Det. Salvador Zuno, public information officer for the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office.
Zuno did not know if the weapons were properly secured or what the deputy was doing at the time of the thefts. The deputy remains on duty, Zuno said.
The San Francisco Police Department declined to answer additional questions about the theft. A call to the FBI’s San Francisco field office seeking additional comment was not immediately returned.
The issue of law enforcement weapons being stolen from parked vehicles looms large in the Bay Area. A firearm stolen from a car belonging to a Bureau of Land Management ranger was used in the 2015 shooting death of Kathryn Steinle in San Francisco.
Her slaying became a cornerstone of the national debate over immigration enforcement after an immigrant in the country illegally with a lengthy criminal history was arrested and charged with murdering her. The shooting was often invoked by President Trump on the campaign trail.
Garcia Zarate, 45, is currently standing trial for Steinle’s killing in San Francisco.
Follow @JamesQueallyLAT for crime and police news in California.
UPDATES:
1:42 p.m.: This article was updated with the San Francisco Police Department declining to answer questions.
This article originally published at 10:10 am
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