Cold-Hearted Thieves Violently Hijack Motorized Wheelchair In Brazen San Francisco Crime
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- San Francisco police were searching for four suspects who allegedly confronted a man on a local street, assaulted him, pulled him out from his motorized wheelchair and then stole it.
The victim was a Latino man in his 60s.
Investigators said officers from Southern Station were on patrol when they were flagged down by a citizen reporting a robbery that occurred at approximately 9:00 p.m. Wednesday on the unit block of Mary Street.
The attackers were described as four men in their 20s.
"Suspects made a comment about the victim's wheelchair and the next thing you know he was struck in the face and the other suspects dragged the victim out of the wheelchair," San Francisco Police Officer Robert Rueca told KPIX5.
One of the suspects then struck the victim's face and the other suspects dragged him out of the chair and threw him onto the street. A suspect kicked the victim several times while another suspect got on the wheelchair and rode away on Mary Street towards Mission Street accompanied by the other suspects.
"The victim crawled quite a distance to contact someone who was able to help him and that's how we encountered him," Rueca said.
The victim suffered non-life threatening injuries from the assault.
"This report is shocking. It's definitely shocking for us and we take reports of pretty horrible incidents," said Officer Rueca.
"It does shock me, but it doesn't surprise me. It happens because people steal things all the time - even if they have to assault someone to steal things," Alex Zebarjadian who owns a nearby consulting business.
Zebarjadian says in the past year keeping his employees safe is a constant worry.
"We always try and secure the building, make sure the building is safe. At night when we go out, we escort the ladies, we don't let them go by themselves. We always walk together and make sure they are not walking by themselves."
The SFPD is requesting for the public's assistance in locating the victim's wheelchair, identification of suspects, and anyone with information - including cell phone or surveillance camera video - regarding this incident to call the SFPD 24-hour-tip line at 1-415-575-4444 or Text a Tip to TIP411 and begin the message with SFPD. You may remain anonymous.