SFPD Makes Arrest in Serial Vandalism Case Involving Autonomous Vehicles 24-072

On June 26, 2024, an autonomous vehicle company reported to SFPD that 20 of their vehicles had their tires slashed between June 24 and June 26. Through the course of the investigation, it was determined that the suspect and suspect vehicle were the same in all the cases. The suspect vehicle was determined to be a rental car that was past due.

On June 26, the suspect vehicle was located on the 300 block of Bryant Street and the suspect, later identified as 36-year-old Ronaile Burton, was inside the vehicle. Burton then slashed the tires on the suspect vehicle as well as the tires of the tow truck that had responded on behalf of the rental car company to seize the suspect vehicle. Burton then broke windows on both vehicles before vandalizing five occupied vehicles along the Embarcadero.

Officers were dispatched to the tire slashing on the 300 block of Bryant Street and while en route, were flagged down regarding the tire slashings along the Embarcadero. Responding officers from Southern Station arrested Burton for the tire slashing of seven vehicles that had just occurred, as well as three of the autonomous vehicle tire slashings that investigators had probable cause for at that stage of the investigation.

On July 3, 2024, through the course of the investigation, investigators developed probable cause to arrest Burton for the additional 17 counts of vandalism (594(b)(1) PC). Burton was booked at San Francisco County Jail #1.

The autonomous vehicle vandalisms occurred on the following dates and locations. Some locations impacted numerous vehicles:

June 24, 2024

• 6:37 p.m. at 7th and Brannan Streets
• 6:45 p.m. at Brannan Street between 4th and 5th Streets
• 6:50 p.m. 3rd Street at Stevenson Street
• 6:57 p.m. at Van Ness Avenue and O’Farrell Street
• 8:06 p.m. Unit block of The Embarcadero

June 25, 2024

• 3:05 p.m. at Sutter and Gough Streets
• 3:49 p.m. on the 1500 block of Greenwich Street
• 4:16 p.m. at McAllister and Fillmore Streets
• 6:14 p.m. at Main and Folsom Streets
• 6:44 p.m. at Sutter and Leavenworth Streets
• 8:02 p.m. at Embarcadero and Howard Street
• 8:29 p.m. at Mason Street and Geary Blvd.
• 9:16 p.m. Hawthorne and Harrison Streets
• 11:01 p.m. at Lincoln Way and 19th Ave.

June 26, 2024

• 12:06 a.m. at Leavenworth and Union Street
• 12:22 a.m. at Octavia and Haight Street
• 1:19 a.m. at Townsend and 4th Streets

While an arrest has been made, this remains an open and active investigation.  Anyone with information is asked to call the SFPD 24-hour Tip Line at 1-415-575-4444 or Text a Tip to TIP411 and begin the text message with SFPD. You may remain anonymous.   

SFPD Cases: 240-398-962, 240-394-318, 240-396-267, 240-396-994, 240-397-271, 240-397-362