San Francisco police announce arrest in robbery of TV news crews

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- An arrest has been made in the thefts of two cameras from Bay Area TV news crews in San Francisco.

The robbery and assault happened as crews were following up on the murder of Kate Steinle on the Embarcadero last month.

Police say the suspect is a known gang member and belongs to a San Francisco gang that has been involved in other robberies.

The robbery and assault happened at Pier 14 as local news crews, including ABC7 News, were reporting on the shooting death of Kate Steinle on the morning of July 2.

That's when two armed robbers pistol-whipped a cameraman and took two cameras from news crews at two other TV stations. The crime was captured on cellphone video.

Police arrested 23-year-old Michael Anthony Jones in Fremont and charged him with assault and grand theft. Police say he drove the BMW getaway car that day.

"San Francisco police officers set up a surveillance video on that vehicle knowing the registered owner, Michael Jones, to be a San Francisco gang member whose gang has been engaging, or we believe engaging in, robberies, auto-burglaries and other crimes in San Francisco and across the bay as well," said San Francisco Police Chief Greg Suhr.

Suhr said Jones was on felony probation on a prior firearms arrest. Two other suspects remain at large. Police are following leads to catch them.

The stolen cameras have not yet been recovered.