‘We need to treat our tourists better’
With its elegant rotunda reflecting in a lagoon surrounded by manicured trees, the Palace of Fine Arts is a popular spot for picture-snapping and relaxing. But all too often, that serenity is cut short when guests discover their vehicles have been burglarized and their possessions taken.
Living just half a block from the Marina landmark, Skylar Skikos has seen the heartbreak more than he’d like. On a recent sunny day after work, the 38-year-old walked his English sheepdog, named Magnificent, along Baker Street, keeping an eye out for crooks.
“I try to warn tourists,” he said. “This place just gives people a false sense of security. People jump right out and break into cars. I see it all the time. It’s pervasive. It’s terrible.”
The problem is so prevalent that the location is plastered with signs warning people to guard their valuables. Even so, the streets directly around the palace saw 288 auto break-ins last year— an 11-fold spike since 2003. Police made arrests in at least six of the cases, according to city data.
Around back from the main building, criminals gorge on a smorgasbord: Out of view from the landmark’s attractive sights, cars in the main parking area on Palace Drive are easy pickings.
While the street in front of the palace bears warnings placed on light poles, the placards on Palace Drive are more in-your-face.
“Attention! Do not leave valuables in your car,” several read, accompanying a graphic of shattered glass over a silhouette of a car.
While the impact of the timeworn signs is unclear, the recent presence of a marked city police cruiser on Baker Street appears to be making a real difference.
Northern Station Capt. Joseph Engler said a greater police presence, combined with outreach to neighborhood associations and the deployment of undercover officers, has reduced break-ins across his district this year.
For his part, Skikos said he’s noticed less broken glass in the street since police stationed an officer there.
But he added, “That’s not a long-term solution. We need to treat our tourists better. We need a deeper solution.”