SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS RADIO) – One of San Francisco's most popular vistas is about to get visited by the Grinch.
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The Twin Peaks neighborhood is a big target for smash-and-grab car burglaries during the holidays according to local crime data.
The spot is popular with locals and tourists alike for its breathtaking views of the city, and that might be exactly what thieves are looking for.
While broken auto glass is nothing new at Twin Peaks, city crews are likely to be cleaning up even more of it in the coming days.
It's estimated more than a dozen vehicles will be broken into here before the end of the year.
One local who walks around the neighborhood every day witnessed a guy steal his mother’s purse, and has seen several violent robberies targeting mostly tourists in the area.
Some people try to fight back, but police stress you should not fight back as many of the thieves are armed.
"This is very organized crime," said Robert Weisberg, a professor of criminal law at Stanford University. "I don't mean necessarily in a mafia sense."
According to Weisberg, these crimes of opportunity can be deterred with more of a police presence.
"They will go elsewhere if the chances of being caught or observed is very, very high," he said.
"The question is how long you can sustain that," Weisberg added.
The San Francisco Police Department has already stationed patrol cars there, and that is expected to continue through the holiday season.
In the meantime, people can better protect themselves by not leaving anything valuable in their cars, especially if they have out-of-state plates and are in popular tourist areas.
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