Czech news crew in San Fran to cover APEC robbed at gunpoint

Czech TV journalists in San Francisco covering the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit were robbed at gunpoint, losing over $18,000 worth of equipment and a day’s worth of footage.

ČT24 correspondent Bohumil Vostal said three masked assailants with guns out approached him and his crew about 5 p.m. Sunday and demanded their production equipment, driving off with cameras and other gear.

“They were heading at my cameraman, aiming a gun at his stomach, and one at my head,” Vostal told the San Francisco Chronicle.

Following the brazen theft, Vostal and his crew had to rush to Best Buy to purchase cables and new lights — before scrambling to also find new material to film.

Police arrived within a minute of the 911 call, but just missed the thieves make off in a dark sedan, they said.

The Czech crew is among hundreds of international correspondents in San Francisco for APEC, which has massive security for attendees including President Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Vostal said city officials and “all the people of San Francisco” have been very apologetic for the robbery, which highlights the city’s underlying crime problem.

“Thank you very much for the support we received in ČT news,” he tweeted. “We’ll keep shooting. We are here for the US President’s summit with the Chinese leader. And we’ll be there (as always) for CT.”

San Francisco’s drug addicts, dealers, and the homeless population that typically plague the downtown area were apparently pushed to other parts of the city, sources told The Post over the weekend — as the entire area was fenced off for the summit, which began on Saturday.

Investigators from the San Francisco Police Department’s Robbery Unit are investigating Sunday’s theft.

Mayor London Breed’s office said the city is working to support the Czech journalists. Breed also met with the journalists on Monday to assure them that their staff will help replace their stolen equipment.