Car thefts in San Francisco are down almost 59% for the first eight months of 2026 compared with the same months in 2022, according to analysis of police department statistics by NPR's Planet Money — and car break-ins are down more than 82%.
"San Francisco's law enforcement leaders tell us that greater use of surveillance technology — including a controversial, AI-powered license plate camera system made by Flock Safety — has been crucial to this drop in car crime."
How much credit does Flock actually deserve...? [In July of 2022, San Francisco District Attorney] Jenkins began taking a more aggressive approach to prosecuting people accused of crimes. Meanwhile, the SFPD beefed up its tactics to fight car thefts and break-ins. In 2023, for example, the police increased patrols in tourist areas known for car break-ins and used "bait cars" to catch and build cases against organized car burglars. But, Jenkins says, "one of the most important factors" behind the drop in crime came when the city introduced new crime-fighting technology. In March 2024, San Francisco voters approved Proposition E, which, among other provisions, made it easier for SFPD to use drones and high-tech surveillance cameras. That same month, the SFPD began installing Flock cameras in strategic locations... In a statement to Planet Money, a spokesperson for the SFPD said, "ALPR has been instrumental in driving down crime in San Francisco. These tools enable our officers to identify crime vehicles with precision, and ALPR is assisting in reducing crimes that were previously very challenging to solve, like auto burglaries."
Jenkins described how Flock cameras and drones can work together to catch suspected criminals. In one case the SFPD publicized, the department says Flock cameras spotted a moving vehicle linked to an auto burglary the previous day and alerted officers. Officers deployed a drone, which flew in from above and then began recording suspects in real time as they smashed windows and stole luggage out of a parked SUV. The police then moved in and arrested them. They can do all this, Jenkins says, "without putting innocent people in danger with dangerous police chases." Meanwhile, the surveillance system creates an evidence trail that [Jenkins'] office can use to prosecute suspected criminals... Jenkins also believes high-tech surveillance helps deter crime, although that's harder to prove...
The most ambitious study of Flock's system so far is a recent one by University of South Carolina crime researchers Ian Adams and Scott Mourtgos. They analyzed data from 216 law enforcement agencies that introduced Flock cameras, comparing crime trends with places that had not adopted Flock. They found that deploying Flock cameras was associated with an 11% drop in car thefts in the first year. This is only one study, and it has yet to be peer-reviewed. It's also not a randomized controlled trial, the gold standard for finding the actual causal effect of something. Other factors, beyond Flock, could still help explain the decline.
That study attempted to control for variables, the article points out — like how San Francisco's decline coincided with a broader drop in crime across American cities as America emerged from the pandemic...
But the article also notes another worry shared by "countless citizens" and political leaders. Are these systems handing too much power to law enforcement to "invade our privacy, trace our whereabouts, and stomp on our civil liberties."
"San Francisco's law enforcement leaders tell us that greater use of surveillance technology — including a controversial, AI-powered license plate camera system made by Flock Safety — has been crucial to this drop in car crime."
How much credit does Flock actually deserve...? [In July of 2022, San Francisco District Attorney] Jenkins began taking a more aggressive approach to prosecuting people accused of crimes. Meanwhile, the SFPD beefed up its tactics to fight car thefts and break-ins. In 2023, for example, the police increased patrols in tourist areas known for car break-ins and used "bait cars" to catch and build cases against organized car burglars. But, Jenkins says, "one of the most important factors" behind the drop in crime came when the city introduced new crime-fighting technology. In March 2024, San Francisco voters approved Proposition E, which, among other provisions, made it easier for SFPD to use drones and high-tech surveillance cameras. That same month, the SFPD began installing Flock cameras in strategic locations... In a statement to Planet Money, a spokesperson for the SFPD said, "ALPR has been instrumental in driving down crime in San Francisco. These tools enable our officers to identify crime vehicles with precision, and ALPR is assisting in reducing crimes that were previously very challenging to solve, like auto burglaries."
Jenkins described how Flock cameras and drones can work together to catch suspected criminals. In one case the SFPD publicized, the department says Flock cameras spotted a moving vehicle linked to an auto burglary the previous day and alerted officers. Officers deployed a drone, which flew in from above and then began recording suspects in real time as they smashed windows and stole luggage out of a parked SUV. The police then moved in and arrested them. They can do all this, Jenkins says, "without putting innocent people in danger with dangerous police chases." Meanwhile, the surveillance system creates an evidence trail that [Jenkins'] office can use to prosecute suspected criminals... Jenkins also believes high-tech surveillance helps deter crime, although that's harder to prove...
The most ambitious study of Flock's system so far is a recent one by University of South Carolina crime researchers Ian Adams and Scott Mourtgos. They analyzed data from 216 law enforcement agencies that introduced Flock cameras, comparing crime trends with places that had not adopted Flock. They found that deploying Flock cameras was associated with an 11% drop in car thefts in the first year. This is only one study, and it has yet to be peer-reviewed. It's also not a randomized controlled trial, the gold standard for finding the actual causal effect of something. Other factors, beyond Flock, could still help explain the decline.
That study attempted to control for variables, the article points out — like how San Francisco's decline coincided with a broader drop in crime across American cities as America emerged from the pandemic...
But the article also notes another worry shared by "countless citizens" and political leaders. Are these systems handing too much power to law enforcement to "invade our privacy, trace our whereabouts, and stomp on our civil liberties."
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
We gaan naar Eindhoven (ja) voor de laatste interland in een eigenlijk veel te lange interlandbreak. Waar staan Onze Jongens na drie wedstrijden Nations League? Op plek 2. Achter de Grieken, die de tegenstander Des Doods van de poule bleken maar er in de voorgaande wedstrijd niet in slaagden van Oranje te winnen. Zij spelen vanavond opnieuw tegen de Duitsers en wij mogen het op zijn Grieks doen met de Bonnie Blue van de groep, Servië. De vierde van het toernooi maar ook de vierde van Xavi als bondscoach, dus na vandaag mag u officieel roepen dat een onervaren buitenlander altijd al een belachelijk zwaktebod was, of dat de man Oranje gaat laten voetballen als prime Barça en ons de wereldbeker zal bezorgen. Aftrap 20:45!
SocialIndianapolis Colts 30-13 Washington Commanders
Treylon Burks scores 47-yard TD for Washington
“Welcome to the NFL’s home away from home,” was the rallying cry from former running back and current in-stadium hype man Ronde Barber before the league’s 19th year holidaying in the UK began. And welcome Washington’s injury bug which must have stowed away on the flight to London. The mighty Commanders defense that overwhelmed the Colts at times could not overcome having another quarterback knocked out of commission. Indianapolis capitalised on the misfortune with crafty running back Jonathan Taylor carrying them to a 30-13 victory.
The Commanders were already missing starting quarterback Jayden Daniels with an elbow injury and their pesky interloper wasn’t satisfied that Washington had endured enough torment. The game-defining moment came early as a knee injury forced backup passer Marcus Mariota out of the contest after a strong start. Rookie third-stringer Athan Kaliakmanis replaced him and though he delivered the play of the game with an incredible showcase of vision and accuracy on a 47-yard touchdown throw, it was too much, too soon for the 23-year-old.
Continue reading...⚽️ Nations League updates from 7.45pm kick-offs
⚽️ Live scoreboard | And mail Daniel
Three games have already concluded from the Nations League today.
They are:
Azerbaijan 1-0 Lithuania
Kosovo 1-1 Austria
Malta 1-0 Andorra
Continue reading...Elfyn Evans becomes first British winner since 2001
Oliver Solberg’s hopes shattered by tumble down bank
Elfyn Evans ended years of heartache, and a quarter-of-a-century wait for Britain, by finally winning the World Rally Championship title with Toyota after a dramatic season finale in Sardinia on Sunday.
The Welshman had been championship runner-up five times in the last six years but emerged triumphant after a final Powerstage duel with teammate Oliver Solberg ended with the charging Swede crashing out two corners from the finish while on course to take the crown.
Continue reading...This gag-packed adaptation of Eric Morecambe’s children’s books – by the writing team behind Alan Partridge – is full of stunning comic talent. Bill Bailey, Ross Noble, Tom Davies, Sian Clifford and Asim Chaudhry are all brilliant
Oh my goodness; how long has it been since we all had a lovely teatime treat? Too long, that’s how long! But now joy is at hand, courtesy of Neil and Rob Gibbons (the pair behind the most recent incarnations of Alan Partridge) and The Reluctant Vampire. It is their adaptation of Eric Morecambe’s 1982 children’s book of the same name and its 1983 sequel, The Vampire’s Revenge. They have kept the books’ warmth and daftness and added their own talents to the six-part series for youngsters. There are jokes for parents in there too, but the brothers have wisely kept the exquisite cruelty with which they craft Alan’s misadventures safely stowed away.
Here is the tale of an undead royal-ish family (temporarily usurped a few generations back when the paterfamilias choked on a scab), living a traditional vampiric life in their traditionally gothic castle. There is proud patriarch Victor (Tom Davis), who revels in the hunting and draining of the humans he despises (“I see,” he says, looking round the overdecorated bedroom of his latest about-to-be-victim, “you have a keen eye for tat”). He is married to Valeeta (Sian Clifford) – they share a hot-to-trot vibe with Gomez and Morticia of The Addams Family films – and they have two children. Vernon (an absolutely wonderful turn from Gabriel Nagy in his first major screen role) is a chip off the old block, loving the vampire life and able to identify blood vintages with a single sip (“Poor circulation … lavender … the neck of a Flemish merchant?”).
Continue reading...Manchester City came from behind twice to win an absorbing, six-goal thriller 4-2 and continue their 100% winning start to the Women’s Super League season while heaping further pressure on Arsenal and their head coach Renée Slegers.
The defending champions, helped by Kerstin Casparij scoring a screamer with her very first touch of the ball after coming on as a second-half substitute, stretched their advantage over Arsenal to 10 points after just five rounds of matches, leaving the title hopes of last season’s runners-up hanging by a thread.
Continue reading...Tuchel praises Scott’s all-round display in Croatia win
‘We will not survive on two midfielders. More the better’
Thomas Tuchel warned that there is competition for Declan Rice’s place in England’s midfield after Alex Scott marked his first international start with an outstanding display during the 7-0 away win against Croatia.
Rice, who struggled with neural pain in his upper hamstring during the World Cup, withdrew from the camp because of load management and the vice-captain’s absence at the start of the side’s Nations League campaign has allowed Tuchel to broaden his options alongside Elliot Anderson in midfield.
Continue reading...Home secretary warns people traffickers will exploit asylum seekers because they decide who comes to the UK
Nearly all women who try to reach the UK in small boats from northern France have been raped on their journey, Shabana Mahmood has claimed.
In an interview with The Rest Is Politics podcast, the home secretary said far-right, balaclava-wearing activists would “kill” or “kick me out of my own country” if they took power.
Continue reading...
The four-time World Champion won his first race of the 2026 season at Sepang.
Max Verstappen scored his first win of the 2026 season during a highly eventful Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia.
Het is dierendag. Ik zat gisteren na te denken over een toepasselijke Closing Time, maar er schoot me niet veel te binnen. Love is All had gekund, natuurlijk. Of die andere zingende kikker: Being Green. En toen kwam dit nummer zomaar voorbij op de radio. Van Kiki Rockwell uit Nieuw-Zeeland. Je kunt je afvragen of het echt heel veel met dierendag te maken heeft, afgezien van die wolf en dat lam in de titel. Maar ik vond het een mooi en intrigerend nummer.
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