Cliff House’s memorabilia stolen from famed S.F. setting up
3 min read
Authorities are looking for two people suspected of stealing historic memorabilia from San Francisco’s Cliff House nearly 1 thirty day period soon after the cafe introduced its long term closure.
United States Park Police reported two individuals broke into the developing in close proximity to Ocean Seashore in the early hours of Jan. 26. Historic art, instruments and an early 1900s bathing match from the aged Sutro Bathhouse valued at $2,000 had been between the things stolen, police explained.
The burglary transpired nearly a month ahead of a prepared two-day on the net auction of the 157-12 months-outdated landmark’s memorabilia, artwork and ornamental furnishings. The pilfered bathing go well with was a single of the objects up for auction, according to the firm arranging the event.
A agent of Rabin Worldwide, the organization overseeing the Cliff Household auction, said in an electronic mail that the auction “is shifting ahead as prepared.”
“Thankfully the robbers did not choose a whole lot of stuff,” Orlee Rabin, a principal at Rabin Globally told The Chronicle. “They did consider a variety of attention-grabbing products, but they in fact still left some at the rear of. They took them out of the developing and then left them on the avenue, and a bystander was about to go for a operate at Ocean Seashore and noticed them and understood where they have been from and managed to get them again to the Cliff Home.
“We miraculously experienced a person of the bathing fits and three other objects returned. There are great people out there in San Francisco, and we’re very relieved.”
In a push release asserting the auction, Rabin promised “a possibility to individual a piece of San Francisco history,” and referred to as the Cliff House’s decor “a testament to the bygone period of the institution, as properly as to relics of San Francisco landmarks of yesteryear: the Sutro Baths and Playland at the Seashore.”
Police claimed they have obvious protection footage of the two persons, and they have compiled a list of merchandise that were stolen or vandalized, such as a picket horse and framed antique pics and posters.
Julian Espinoza, a spokesman for the Golden Gate Nationwide Recreation Location, stated there has been an enhance in vandalism and theft all through the area all through the pandemic, and park officers and police are operating to improve safety at the Cliff Household.
The Cliff Property closed in December right after longtime operators Dan and Mary Hountalas, who ran the house given that 1977, failed to reach a new lease agreement with the historical site’s operator, the National Park Service.
But the house may possibly not remain vacant for very long. The National Park Company confirmed on Tuesday that it will right away make use of the place while it searches for a tenant, and the goal is for the making to dwelling a cafe below a new title.
“Protection of the Cliff Property proceeds to be a main precedence for the duration of our pandemic functions and we are continuing to explore limited-time period alternatives for this general public space,” Espinoza stated in an email assertion Thursday.
Park officers and law enforcement are performing with the San Francisco Law enforcement Department’s theft process force and are searching for the public’s help to determine the people today and get well the stolen goods.
Everyone with information and facts about the situation is requested to make contact with Park Law enforcement anonymously at 415-561-5150 or 888-361-3332. Guidelines can also be emailed to [email protected]
Vanessa Arredondo is a San Francisco Chronicle staff members writer. E mail: [email protected] Twitter: @v_anana
