Smartphone theft down in San Francisco thanks to recent state law

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- There's been a dramatic drop in a particular type of crime in San Francisco - smartphone thefts.

Officials said a new state law requiring manufacturers to put a "kill switch" in smartphones is making your cellphone less desirable to thieves because once it is activated, the phone becomes useless.

ABC7 News found some people haven't even heard of this law, but they like it and are glad to hear these results.

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"I think it's good because I lost my phone and I just lost it. You know? So, yeah that's a good idea," Pacifica resident Sinan Gasor said.

New numbers released in San Francisco reveal smartphone robberies are down 22 percent from 2015 to 2016 and from 2013, they're down 50 percent.

The law was signed three years ago and went into effect in 2015.

San Francisco District Attorney George Gascon sponsored the law, which is the first of its kind.