A San Francisco burglary crew was caught after police used a drone to track what investigators say was a brazen attempt to slip past officers in the city. The SF burglary crew allegedly changed the license plate on its getaway SUV, dressed two members as construction workers, and targeted a large home under construction before the operation unraveled.
Police identified the suspects as Tiffany Riley, 39, of Richmond; Steven Bucther, 38, of Martinez; and Ndaya Green, 25, of Oakland. The case began July 29, when the San Francisco Police Department’s Real Time Investigation Center spotted a maroon Kia SUV entering the city from the East Bay. Officers said the vehicle had been tied to multiple earlier auto and residential burglaries, which prompted investigators to launch a drone and alert undercover officers on the ground.
From there, police say, the suspects kept shifting tactics as surveillance followed them. The Kia was involved in a hit-and-run, then the driver stopped and swapped the license plates, according to police. Plainclothes officers kept tracking the vehicle as it appeared to check out buildings under construction, a sign investigators say pointed to a planned burglary rather than a random stop.
At Green and Divisadero streets, two passengers got out and put on high-visibility construction vests. Police said the pair used the gear to blend in while breaking into a large home under construction. The disguise fit a common burglary tactic: look like workers, move without drawing attention, and hope no one questions you. In this case, officers were already watching from the air and from the street.
