Duo charged with targeting 27 Asian American homes in 4-month-long San Francisco burglary spree

May 2, 2022

Two men have been arrested and charged in connection with at least 28 burglaries that occurred at various homes — 27 of them owned by Asian Americans — in San Francisco.

The burglaries, which occurred between December 2021 and March of this year, took place in neighborhoods such as Excelsior, Mission, Richmond, Sunset and Visitation Valley, according to reports.

Security footage from an outer Richmond home ransacked in December shows a group of masked men using a crowbar-like tool to break-in. They can be seen fleeing in a getaway car afterward.

“It took a while for me to go outside and feel comfortable walking around by myself and with my parents or leaving my house, it took a while to get back to normal,” one of the homeowners, identified as Ms. R, told ABC7 News anchor Dion Lim. “They drove into our driveway, all three went out and went into our house.”

The San Francisco Police Department launched a massive investigation in response to the break-ins. On April 19, they arrested two suspects — Steve Levy and Deshawn White — and recovered firearms, money and jewelry.

Levy reportedly broke into 28 homes and stole money, jewelry and other items. White, on the other hand, reportedly committed eight of the burglaries and attempted burglaries on two different nights.

“Few property crimes are as profoundly unsettling to victims as residential burglaries, and they can take an especially traumatic toll on seniors who are robbed of their sense of security in addition to their property,” San Francisco Police Chief Bill Scott said in a press release. “We hope this case sends a strong message to would-be burglars that they will be held accountable for their wrongdoing in San Francisco, and we’re grateful to all our partners for making this operation so successful.”

Levy has been charged with 23 counts of first-degree burglary, five counts of attempted first-degree burglary, three counts of first-degree robbery, one count of attempted first-degree robbery and three counts of elder abuse. Meanwhile, White has been charged with six counts of first-degree burglary and two counts of attempted first-degree burglary.

“All people deserve to feel and to be safe, especially in their homes,” said San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin. “Our office’s partnership with the San Francisco Police Department in a lengthy investigation led to the arrests of these two suspects. Together, we will hold them accountable for the harms they caused.”

Investigation into the burglary spree is still ongoing. Those with information have ben urged to contact the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office at (628) 652-4000 or the San Francisco Police Department’s Anonymous 24/7 Tip Line at (415) 575-4444.

Feature Image via ABC7 News

Share this Article