SF Sheriff's Deputy Has Gun Stolen From Home

A San Francisco sheriff’s deputy had his gun stolen from a lock box in his home in Visitacion Valley, according to the San Francisco Police Department.

The burglary, which took place on the 300 block of Tocoloma Ave, was reported at 7:35 a.m. Friday, according to SFPD spokesperson Albie Esparza.

Esparza described the gun as a 9 mm Glock pistol that was secured in a lock box. The burglar also stole two loaded magazines, the deputy’s bullet proof vest, belt, a radio and other items, including a San Francisco Police Department officer's identification.

San Francisco Sheriff’s Department spokesperson Eileen Hirst told NBC Bay Area that the department had been informed about the burglary. The department is trying to confirm details, she said.

The sheriff's department released a statement, which read in part, "“This is a matter of serious concern to Sheriff Hennessy and the sheriff’s department. Any missing firearm is a danger to public safety. We are hopeful it will be recovered quickly and safely.”

Police are trying to get the word out about their suspect who is now "in possession of law enforcement equipment that could be used potentially used to rob people and pose as a fake officer," Esparza said.

Police say if you’re not sure whether someone is really a police officer, you should ask for their badge and police ID. 

Friday’s firearm theft is the latest in a string of lost and stolen law enforcement weapons that have plagued San Francisco’s law enforcement community recently.

A gun stolen from a Bureau of Land Management ranger’s vehicle in San Francisco was later tied to the shooting death of Kate Steinle on Pier 14 in San Francisco on July 1, 2015.

In February, a U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement agent lost a pistol in San Francisco.

NBC Bay Area’s Investigative Unit uncovered hundreds of guns missing from Bay Area law enforcement agencies, stolen from officers’ homes or vehicles, or simply unaccounted for.

The BLM, the agency responsible for the gun that killed Steinle, did not respond to NBC Bay Area’s open records requests submitted in July, shortly after the shooting, and the question of how many firearms that federal agency can’t account for remains open.