Few cities are having a harder time in the U.S. right now than San Francisco.
A rise in crime – including theft and what authorities have referred to as open air drug markets – has driven some folks and businesses out of the city.
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It's also why office vacancy rates have stood at about 30% for months. Many San Francisco-based workers are in tech-enabled jobs, which allows them to work remotely. High costs of living and an ongoing housing shortage also contributes to homelessness for those who can't afford high rent, and those who don't need to be in the city every day have moved out.
One of the biggest issues remains car theft. In 2022, San Francisco reported 22,000 unique incidents of car theft. Some celebrities have tried defending their run-ins with car theft, with mixed results.
"I don’t personally view my car as an extension of myself and I’ve never really felt violated any of the 15 or so times my car was broken in to," comedian Seth Rogen tweeted at someone whose car had been broken into.
You can be mad but I guess I don’t personally view my car as an extension of myself and I’ve never really felt violated any of the 15 or so times my car was broken in to. Once a guy accidentally left a cool knife in my car so if it keeps happening you might get a little treat.
— Seth Rogen (@Sethrogen) November 25, 2021
But since the issue has now been going on for years, other creative minds are taking the problem more seriously.
Former Apple designer crafts solution to car theft
So a former Apple designer Mark Rober, who now runs CrunchLabs, worked with his team to design an anti-theft mechanism that can deter thieves.
The product is a glitter bomb, and, while technically harmless, it does a lot in the way of preventing crime. It stows away in a seemingly low-profile item a thief might want to break into a car to steal: backpacks, purses, handbags, or luggage.
After the thief has broken into the car and is walking away with his or her item, the glitter bomb explodes biodegradable glitter and foul-smelling spray all over the perpetrator.
Rober claims his product has claimed 29 thieves to date, and a video on his YouTube page demonstrating the efficacy of the product has garnered 13 million views in just four days.
"These guys just broke into my car in San Francisco and stole my backpack," Rober explains in the video. "But what they'll soon find out is thanks to some high tech glitter and fart spray delivery mechanisms, that's no ordinary backpack."
Rober says the entire glitter bomb solution came about after he had a package stolen from his front porch.
"Which inspired me to combine my engineering skills with my Christmastime affinity for Kevin McAllister.
Then, when his own car was broken into in San Francisco, he went to work on a new glitter bomb (complete with highly compressed CO2) to deter theft and understand who was behind the crimes.
Rober found that over 80% of his break-ins were by individuals, as opposed to groups of thieves.
Currently, Rober's product is not available for sale, though perhaps it is having an effect on crime in the city by deterring thieves with sensitive noses.
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