Some business owners in San Francisco's Chinatown say they need to fight back following a string of robberies over the weekend.
There were at least a half-dozen robberies and attempted robberies in the neighborhood.
"We're all fed up," said Betty Louis with the Chinatown Merchants Association. "We're all scared. We're sick and tired. We feel hopeless."
Many community leaders and business owners say more must be done.
Get a weekly recap of the latest San Francisco Bay Area housing news. Sign up for NBC Bay Area’s Housing Deconstructed newsletter.
"It’s our leaders not being able to work together, to come together with some united, common solution to help us," Louis said.
The stories of crime won't dampen the mood at Jade Chocolates Teahouse and Cafe. In two days, Jade Chocolates is growing. Owner Mindy Fong said she wants her business to stand for resilience.
"No hesitation at all," she said. "I'm excited to be part of this community and to help drive more businesses here on Grant Avenue."
But Fong still isn't taking any chances.
"We’re gonna do self-defense classes for our employees every month, and we require to wear a whistle," she said.
The mayor has committed more officers to patrol Chinatown while community volunteers say they'll continue to walk the streets to deter crime.
