In San Francisco, the idea of a truly carefree vacation seems pretty much gone.
Rapper Dreamlife Lizzy expressed his concerns on the No Jumpers podcast, noting that crime isn’t as easy as it used to be. Thanks to the rise of surveillance tools like drones and license plate readers, things have changed significantly.
He pointed out that if someone drives around with stolen plates, they’ll likely trigger alerts at police stations nearby, or even across the city. “And when they get you, they’ll get you,” Lizzy added, emphasizing the efficiency of these systems.
In a recent interview, originally released in September, Dreamlife Lizzy spoke with host Adam Grandmaison about the evolving crime landscape in San Francisco—a city often recognized for its issues with drug crime, theft, and other illegal activities.
He took time to describe how, in the past, petty crime was more common, but with the influx of drones and cameras everywhere, coupled with advanced police tools, it’s much harder to escape after committing a crime. “Crime in San Francisco is over, brother,” he stated bluntly.
This year, the San Francisco Police Department utilized private donations to establish a more robust real-time investigation center in downtown. Equipped with drones, Flock’s license plate readers, and various public safety cameras, police have noted a 41% drop in car thefts since this center opened, alongside a 46% rise in arrests for car theft.
The Flock company claims to operate 12 drones that can autonomously respond to car thefts and other incidents, along with a network of around 400 license plate reading cameras and community-owned devices for tracking.
Garrett Langley, CEO of Flock Safety, commented that San Francisco stands out as one of the most iconic and technologically advanced cities in the country.
However, Lizzy hinted at concerns regarding the implications of such surveillance methods, as civil rights advocates argue that these technologies could infringe on personal privacy. “It almost violates our rights,” he remarked.
