Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) experienced the personal impact of rising crime rates firsthand this week when thieves targeted his vehicle, stealing his belongings as he prepared for a Senate campaign fundraiser in San Francisco. Schiff was left addressing high-powered potential donors in casual dress, as his formal wear was in the luggage stolen in a city parking garage shortly before the event started.
The San Francisco Chronicle detailed how the congressman’s car was burglarized, forcing him to wear a long-sleeve shirt and hiking vest instead of his usual formal wear. Schiff, campaigning to fill the seat left vacant by the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), attempted to brush the theft aside, simply saying, “Yes, they took my bags.”
Rep. Adam Schiff’s luggage swiped from car in San Francisco, forcing him to attend fancy dinner in casual wear https://t.co/yQXC7DaFxY pic.twitter.com/0uHWsMqZng
— New York Post (@nypost) April 26, 2024
Despite Schiff’s composed public response, the irony of the situation was not lost on observers. Schiff, a prominent supporter of Democrat soft-on-crime policies intended to appease the progressive base and potential voters, found himself a victim of the very issues plaguing the state he represents.
Local crime rates, including car burglaries, have been contentious in San Francisco. Although recent reports from the San Francisco Chronicle suggest decreased property and violent crimes, the city’s reputation continues to be marred by frequent thefts. Last year, 1,670 car burglaries were reported in a single month.
Critics argue that the state’s Democratic leadership has fostered an environment where such criminal behaviors are treated with alarming normalcy. At the fundraiser, attendees and hosts lightly joked about the burglary, indicating a resigned acceptance of the city’s ongoing crime dilemma.
In his remarks on public safety, Schiff has emphasized the need for “building community trust” and addressing “systemic injustices.” His Senate campaign website states: “Building safe and secure communities is, at its core, about building trust. It’s about fixing what’s broken and rooting out the systemic prejudices that tilt the scales of justice against Black, Hispanic, and Indigenous people.”
Meanwhile, at increasing rates, ordinary citizens and businesses continue to flee California for red states. More than 500,000 residents left the state from April 2020 to July 2022. The main drivers for this exodus include high housing costs, long commutes, and other quality-of-life factors like the sort of crime Schiff experienced this week. The state has also experienced a sizable migration of businesses to other states.
