Candidates’ views

The four main contenders in San Francisco’s mayoral election on June 5 say tackling the city’s notorious epidemic of car breakins would be high on their to-do list.

Angela Alioto: She said she can’t park on her street, even in posh Pacific Heights, without risking a break-in. She wants the city to hire more police officers, install one security camera per block, and strengthen penalties to include more jail time and serious fines.

London Breed: Breed’s car has been broken into before, and she says it’s a “devastating and frustrating” problem. She wants more police foot patrols at break-in hot spots, including late at night. She also wants the city to increase public awareness about the importance of not keeping valuables in cars, the police to put more focus on property crime arrests, and the district attorney to assign a neighborhood prosecutor to every police district.

Jane Kim: Many constituents’ cars, including her own roommate’s, have been broken into. “Especially for those living paycheck to paycheck, it’s not just a frustrating experience, it’s hardearned money out of your pocket,” she said. She supports more cameras and brighter lights in problem areas, as well as more police foot patrols.

Mark Leno: His car has been broken into several times over the years, and he says, “It is impacting all of us. These soaring statistics say it all.” He supports adding police foot patrols, looking at equipping police with finger-printing kits so they can take evidence immediately, researching how other cities are keeping their break-in rates lower, and increasing penalties for those who are caught.