Escape by Driverless: Yoga Studio Heist Turns Into SF Tech Mystery

A robbery at a San Francisco yoga studio last January ended with the thief slipping away in a white driver‑less Jaguar, sparking police curiosity. The suspect stole several pieces of merchandise from the Hot 8 Yoga Studio in Marina, then vanished in a Waymo autonomous vehicle parked outside. Police call it the city’s first robbery that used a self‑driving car as a getaway. Even though driverless cars record many angles, officers say the footage they have from six months ago still does not reveal the culprit. Sgt. Tim Faye expressed doubt that a Waymo would make catching a thief easier, noting the vehicle’s cameras did not provide clear identification. Authorities obtained a warrant to review interior footage, but by the time they accessed it, the internal video was no longer available.Only outside shots exist, and faces are blurred to protect privacy, according to Waymo’s policy. The company said it reviews law‑enforcement requests carefully and may ask for narrower scopes to safeguard rider data. The yoga studio’s manager shared a clip showing the autonomous car dropping the thief off, waiting while the robbery occurred, then driving away. Similar incidents have happened elsewhere: a Waymo was used to flee after an LA grocery store theft in January 2025, but the vehicle’s programming forced it to stop when police lights appeared. In that case, officers caught the suspect before he could escape with goods. The San Francisco Police Department has not yet identified or arrested the individual involved in the yoga studio heist. The case highlights both the promise and challenges of autonomous vehicles in public safety scenarios.