2 arrested in San Francisco gold chain robbery with help of drone, police say

Police in San Francisco said a drone unit helped lead to the arrest of two people suspected of robbing a victim of their gold chain earlier this week.

Shortly after 11 a.m. Wednesday, plainclothes officers began observing a purple Dodge Challenger possibly linked to a series of auto burglaries. As they were conducting surveillance, a person inside the vehicle wearing a black ski mask exited the vehicle near a school on the 1300 block of 7th Avenue in the city's Inner Sunset.

Police said a Drone as First Responder unit was on the scene assisting officers with surveillance. Video shared by police showed the person running back to the vehicle while being chased.

The person was then seen leaving the area at what was described as a "high rate of speed" on 7th Avenue, then onto Judah Street.

Soon after, police received a report of a strong-arm robbery on the 1300 block of 7th Avenue. The victim reported being pepper sprayed and that their gold chain was taken.

The officers and the drone continued to conduct surveillance on the Challenger, which traveled to the 2900 block of 24th Street in the city's Mission District. A passenger in the vehicle entered a nearby jewelry store, while the driver parked the car nearby on Florida Street.

Police found the passenger in the jewelry store and detained the passenger after they gave a gold chain to a store employee. Officers said the gold chain matched the description of the chain that was stolen.

The passenger was later arrested.

Meanwhile, the driver was seen leaving the Challenger and was arrested by officers near 24th and Florida streets.

Police identified the suspects as 18-year-old Husan Derrell Cooks and a juvenile female, whose identity is being withheld due to her age. Both Cooks and the girl were arrested on suspicion of robbery, conspiracy and possession of stolen merchandise.