SF Chinatown Shop Owner Hit and Pepper-Sprayed Out of ‘Revenge’
By Carl Samson
May 19, 2021
A shop owner in San Francisco’s Chinatown was hit and pepper-sprayed by a teen she claims was out for revenge.
What happened: It all started when the male teen allegedly stole some iPhone cases from GoApple, a phone repair and accessories store on the 900 block of Grant Avenue last Saturday.
- About half an hour later, the teen went back to exchange the items, but shop owner Fanly Chen denied his demand.
- Chen says the teen hit her in the face when she followed him out of the store.
- Two bystanders reportedly helped recover the items, but one of them was also hit.
- Hours after the initial incident, the suspect returned and attacked Chen with pepper spray before 6 p.m., as seen in a security footage.
- Customers called 911, and Chen was taken to a hospital for treatment.
Not the first time: Chen, who recognized the teen, told KPIX 5‘s Betty Yu that he often steals from her store and other businesses in the neighborhood.
- “Even the police know who he is,” said Chen, adding that he always got away with “$50, $20 every time.”
- Yvonne Lin, the owner of the nearby City Gifts, told KTVU that the same suspect had stolen from her store a few weeks ago. Shoplifting was a “common problem” she said.
- Chen, a single mother who relies on her shop to support her family, now fears for her safety while trying to stay in business amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
- The suspect, who remains at large, is facing robbery and aggravated assault charges.
Anyone with information regarding the incident is encouraged to contact San Francisco police at (415) 575-4444 or text 847411 with a tip beginning with “SFPD.”
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