Retail theft suspect accused of stealing $18K in items from San Francisco stores

A man suspected of stealing $18,000 in items from stores in Union Square and other parts of San Francisco is facing more than 20 charges, prosecutors said.
According to District Attorney Brooke Jenkins office, 49-year-old Mark Farmer has been charged with six counts of second-degree burglary, four counts of grand theft and 11 counts of shoplifting. Farmer was arrested by San Francisco police on Sep. 18.
Describing him in their statement as a “prolific burglar”, the DA’s office alleges Farmer took part in thefts dating back to December of last year. Stores targeted by the thefts include Bloomingdales, Lululemon, the Gap and Athleta.
“My office will do everything we can to ensure that brazen retail thieves are held accountable for their crimes that impact not only the businesses but also the communities that they serve,” Jenkins said. “I would like to thank the San Francisco Police Department for their investigation and continued efforts to address retail theft.”
Prosecutors said Farmer was arraigned on Tuesday. He pled not guilty to all the charges.
During the arraignment hearing, the court set Farmer’s bail to $100,000. He remains in custody, with his next court hearing scheduled for Oct. 7.
Anyone with additional information about the case is asked to call the SFPD tip line at 415-575-4444 or to text TIP411, beginning the message with “SFPD.”