There’s no such thing as a clean getaway anymore, at least in San Francisco.
That’s the warning from rapper Dreamllife Rizzy, who told the podcast No Jumper that modern surveillance technology—like drones and automated license plate readers—has made committing crimes far riskier.
“Soon as you slide past that motherf—er with stolen plates, they’re gonna issue a warning to every SFPD station in that area, if not the entire city … and they start dispatching to that area,” Rizzy explained. “And when they catch you, they’re gonna catch you.”
The interview, originally published in September, featured Rizzy speaking with host Adam Grandmaison about the changing landscape of crime in San Francisco—a city once notorious worldwide for rampant drug activity, theft, and “bipping,” the act of smashing car windows.
Rizzy said the city’s new police technology has made escaping certain crimes nearly impossible. “Crime in San Francisco, that s–t’s over with, brother,” he said.
This year, the San Francisco Police Department expanded its Real-Time Investigation Center downtown, funded through private donations. The center uses drones, Flock automated license plate readers, public safety cameras, and other technology. According to police, in the year since the center’s launch, auto theft has dropped by 41%, while arrests for auto theft have risen 46%.
Flock Safety operates 12 drones that police can deploy autonomously, helping deter auto burglaries and bipping, and maintains a network of 400 license plate readers along with privately owned devices that can be accessed by authorities.
“San Francisco is one of the most iconic cities in America, and of course, one of its most tech-forward,” Flock Safety CEO Garrett Langley told The Post.
Rizzy also acknowledged privacy concerns raised by civil liberties groups over such surveillance. “Damn near violating our rights,” he remarked.
