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On the afternoon of November 9, two wedding photographers were attacked in separate robberies by armed men outside San Francisco's Palace of Fine Arts. Footage of both incidents, recorded by different bystanders, have made netizens concerned about the brazen nature of the crimes.
In footage of one of the incidents, the suspects can be seen brandishing a gun as they try to rob a wedding photographer in an outdoor area of the Palace of Fine Arts. In the video, the wedding photographer tries to keep the robbers at bay as he clings onto his equipment. Subsequently, one of the suspects hits him with what appears to be a pistol. Despite this, after the photographer refuses to let go of his belongings, the two armed men run away.
In the footage of the second robbery, a suspect could be seen fleeing the scene of the crime. He reportedly escaped with the wedding photographer's gear bag.
San Francisco Palace of Fine Arts has seen an increase in robberies
ABC reported that the photographer, who chose to remain anonymous, told reporters that he was in San Francisco to photograph a couple's engagement photos.
The photographer said that he held onto his equipment without considering the potential consequences. He said that if the robbery had been successful, he would have lost the engagement photos. He said:
“I was just freaked out. I tried to protect the client's memories. The bride was crying the whole time.”
San Francisco photographer Monica Lam, who was working in the area when the robbery occured, told KXPI reporters that it has made photographers reluctant to continue conducting shoots there. She said:
“Just watching kind of like the struggle and everything. I just felt for (the victim). I felt for the couple because I know that they felt helpless.”
She added:
“I was just scared. Yeah, I was scared. I was very nervous coming here today, I didn’t know what to make of it.”
According to CBS, despite the fact that the Palace of Fine Arts is a popular location for wedding pictures, the area is no stranger to crime. John Hoover, a managing director of the Palace theater, spoke to the San Francisco Standard about the recent spate of car break-ins. Hoover said:
“Crime in and around tourist destinations has been on the rise; we see our fair amount of car smash and grabs.”
He added:
“It is all our hope that the city begins to take a hard look at effective solutions to prevent this type of crime. It is damaging to our business but, more importantly, sets a negative image and perception of SF.”
Authorities released an official statement urging the public to provide information on the potential robbers.
The statement read:
“At this time, the investigation is analyzing evidence to positively identify the suspects. Anyone with information is asked to contact the SFPD.”
The San Francisco Police Department has not released any additional details.
