Conservative author and Hoover Institution fellow Shelby Steele experienced San Francisco's ongoing crime issues firsthand when his rental car was broken into and burglarized on Wednesday in the Russian Hill neighborhood. The incident occurred around 11 a.m. on Hyde and Lombard Streets, while Steele and his son, Eli, were briefly away from the vehicle filming a documentary about the city.

Eli Steele shared the news on Twitter, posting photos of his father examining the damaged car and estimating the loss of equipment to be between $25,000 and $30,000, excluding the vehicle damage. He described difficulties reaching 911, claiming he was disconnected twice while reporting the crime. He further alleged inaction by the San Francisco police and described witnessing other carjacking victims at the police station, with potential suspects even loitering nearby.

Eli Steele shared images of the damage to their rental car. (@Hebro_Steele via Twitter)

Eli Steele's tweets drew a response from Twitter CTO Elon Musk, who shared that Twitter employees also face similar safety concerns and car break-ins in San Francisco, often with limited police response.

John Dennis, Chairman of the San Francisco Republican Party, expressed his dismay but not surprise at the incident, emphasizing the current state of crime in the city and advising people to avoid San Francisco until the situation improves. Dennis had been interviewed by the Steeles for their documentary shortly before the burglary.

Shelby Steele assessed the damage to his vehicle. (@Hebro_Steele via Twitter)

The San Francisco Police Department confirmed they are investigating the incident.