Smash-And-Grab Car Break-Ins Are At ‘Epidemic’ Levels In San Francisco. Here’s One California Lawmaker’s Solution.

California state Sen. Scott Wiener says car break-ins in San Francisco have reached "epidemic" levels. Now, he is re-introducing a bill that died in committee last year that would make it easier to prosecute property crimes.  

Under the proposed new rule, prosecutors would no longer have to prove that a car's door was locked to get a conviction for car burglaries. Simply seeing a window smashed would be sufficient evidence to charge someone with a felony.

Magnus Lofstrom, with the Public Policy Institute of California, says this measure’s success really depends on who is breaking into cars and why.

“If it is organized crime, these kind of reforms have a chance of being successful,” Lofstrom said. “[But] if there are driven by individuals who are suffering from substance abuse, then maybe alternative strategies could  be at least equally effective.”

Thefts from vehicles have increased by more than 35,000 between 2014 and 2016, accounting for almost two-thirds of all property crimes in the state, according a report from PPIC.