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Threat assessment · CA, United States
San Francisco
Our rating, plus the advisories, health notices, emergency numbers and crime data behind it, from official sources checked Oct 20, 2026.
Nepsis threat assessment
San Francisco
Reviewed Oct 20, 2026. Scored with our published method; never below the State Department level.
Several areas set the level equally.
Top actions
- Leave nothing visible in a parked car, not even a jacket, and take your passport with you.
- Keep your phone put away while walking, since street robbery runs about four times the national rate citywide.
- Learn the drop, cover and hold on routine, since this is an active earthquake zone.
Know before you go
Dial 911 for police, fire or ambulance; the city sits in an active earthquake zone, so note your hotel exits.
Official advisories
What governments say right now.
Checked Oct 20, 2026. We link every source so you can read it yourself.
| U.S. State Department | No State Department travel advisory applies to U.S. destinations. |
|---|---|
| UK Foreign Office (FCDO) | Last updated Aug 18, 2026. Latest change: Updated information about US Hurricane season predictions (‘Safety and security’ page). Read it → |
| CDC health notices | No active CDC travel health notice for this country. CDC travel notices → |
| Emergency numbers | 911 for police, fire and ambulance. |
| Main airport | SFO |
Crime data
What police report.
Counts are not risk. They show patterns and trends, so you know which habits matter most here.
Tourist zone: Union Square to Fisherman's Wharf (San Francisco Police Department, daily data).
Reported incidents from official police open data. Period: 2025-10 to 2026-09, data through 2026-10-18. Source data →
| Type | Reports | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Other theft | 2,842 reports | about 237 a month |
| Assault | 1,484 reports | about 124 a month |
| Car break-ins and vehicle theft | 1,281 reports | about 107 a month |
| Fraud and scams | 685 reports | about 57 a month |
| Pickpocketing / theft from a person | 321 reports | about 27 a month |
| Robbery | 303 reports | about 25 a month |
San Francisco Police Department, citywide
FBI Crime Data Explorer, year to date. About a two-month lag. Source →
| Offense | Year to date | Change | 12-month rate per 100k |
|---|---|---|---|
| Theft (larceny) | 17,064 through 2025-12 | -19% vs last year | 2,092.9 (state 1,206.4, U.S. 1,147.4) |
| Robbery | 1,645 through 2025-12 | -23% vs last year | 201.8 (state 95, U.S. 49.9) |
| Vehicle theft | 3,050 through 2025-12 | -44% vs last year | 374.1 (state 317.5, U.S. 199.9) |
| Aggravated assault | 2,073 through 2025-12 | -11% vs last year | 254.3 (state 302.4, U.S. 238.1) |
| Burglary | 3,795 through 2025-12 | -26% vs last year | 465.4 (state 279.7, U.S. 195.2) |
Crime and scams
What the UK Foreign Office advises.
Excerpt from UK FCDO travel advice, lightly trimmed for travelers outside the UK. This advice covers the whole United States. Full FCDO safety advice →
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Protecting your belongings
Do not leave passports in rental cars, especially not in the boot. Gangs may target vehicles driven by people who look like tourists.
Violent crime
Violent crime and gun crime rarely affect tourists, but take care in unfamiliar areas. Try not to walk through quieter areas alone, especially at night. You can find public advisories and information about recent incidents on local law enforcement websites.
Mass shooting incidents can happen but are a very small percentage of murders. The US Department of Homeland Security has advice on what to do in an active shooter incident.
Research your destination before you travel and follow the advice of local authorities. Crime linked to illegal drugs is a major issue in Mexican states bordering Arizona, California, New Mexico and Texas. Some foreign nationals have been victims of crime in the border regions, but there is no evidence they were targeted because of their nationality.
Protests
Protests are common and can become violent. Follow the instructions of local authorities who may introduce curfews or emergency orders. If you attend peaceful protests or mass gatherings:
- be mindful of your surroundings
- move away if there are signs of trouble
- follow the instructions of local authorities
What this page is
Built on official data.
Our rating above is built on the official government and police data on this page, checked Oct 20, 2026. It does not replace your government's advisory. Planning a trip here? A Nepsis kit turns it into an arrival plan you can carry. See the kits.