{"id":18508,"date":"2026-11-03T14:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-11-03T19:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/?p=18508"},"modified":"2026-11-02T22:44:32","modified_gmt":"2026-11-03T03:44:32","slug":"hooded-assailants-attack-3-youths-in-san-francisco-robbery","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/crime-safety\/hooded-assailants-attack-3-youths-in-san-francisco-robbery\/","title":{"rendered":"Hooded Assailants Attack 3 Youths in San Francisco Robbery"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Panama City police are hunting for two suspects after hooded assailants attack<\/strong> three young people outside a commercial establishment<\/a> on Bel\u00e9n Street in San Francisco township<\/a> on the night of October 31. The victims were stripped of three cell phones and a laptop computer in a violent confrontation that was captured on security video and quickly spread across social media platforms, sparking outrage among area residents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

National Police Director Jaime Fern\u00e1ndez confirmed Monday that no arrests have been made, though investigations are proceeding in coordination with the Public Ministry<\/a>. The assailants arrived in a vehicle, emerged wearing hoods, and carried out the robbery within moments before fleeing the scene.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Video
The investigation remains open as detectives work to identify the hooded assailants and determine whether they have connections to the dormant Gourmet network or represent a new criminal cell. Credit MUPA<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Police Link Method to Notorious Gourmet Gang<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Fern\u00e1ndez drew a direct comparison between Saturday night’s assault and the operations of a criminal group known as the “Gourmet” band, which previously targeted restaurants and businesses throughout the San Francisco area. That group had been inactive for roughly a year before this latest incident.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“A year ago we did not have a situation of that nature,” Fern\u00e1ndez stated. “We are going to be forceful with this type of crime.” [Translated from Spanish]<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The police chief’s comments signal renewed concern that organized robbery crews<\/a> may be resurfacing in the township. San Francisco, a middle-class district of Panama City, has grappled with periodic waves of restaurant and street-level robberies that erode public confidence in nighttime safety.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sucedi\u00f3 anoche en una plaza comercial en San Francisco. Sujetos encapuchados le roban y golpean a tres personas y escapan en auto blanco Kia Soluto. https:\/\/t.co\/GAxdMTA0ut<\/p>— barriosdurospanama (@BarriosDurospty) November 1, 2026<\/a><\/blockquote>\n