SAN FRANCISCO—In early April, the San Francisco Police Department started receiving reports of pickpocketing incidents from Chinatown business owners and the community. After weeks of investigating by using SFPD citywide plainclothes officers, they identified the suspects’ vehicle and the trio involved in the case.
By using the new technologies of Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) and a police drone unit, plainclothes officers tracked down the suspects’ vehicle. SFPD used its relationships with Chinatown merchants, community and Central Station police officers assigned to Chinatown foot beat to identify the trio involved in pickpocketing incidents.
On Saturday, May 16, the suspects’ vehicle entered San Francisco to park near Chinatown. They began casing potential victims. Plainclothes officers were watching them as they began pickpocketing their victims. The trio served as lookouts for each other, while two accomplices screened another.
Officers apprehended the Vallejo individuals which included: Stefan Ruset, 35, and Marian Constantine, 30, and booked them into San Francisco County Jail. During the operation, police recovered stolen items and returned them to the rightful owners.
On Sunday, May 17, investigators delivered a search warrant to the suspects’ Vallejo home where they recovered $14,000 in United States currency, clothes that matched prior thefts and items from a 2024 pickpocketing victim.
On Tuesday, May 19, the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office formally charged them with: Grand Theft 487(c) Penal Code, a felony, Possession of Stolen Property 496(a) Penal Code, a misdemeanor and Conspiracy 182(a)(1) Penal Code, a felony.
They were given a $25,000 each bail and ordered to stay away from Chinatown. Wednesday, June 3 is the date for the scheduled arraignment and preliminary court hearing. The SFPD is still investigating the case. Anyone with details should contact the SFPD anonymous tip line at (415) 575-4444 or send a text to its Text-A-Tip line at TIP411, starting the message with ‘SFPD.’
