People, please don't drop your guard just because the media is reporting that cell phone thefts in San Francisco have dramatically dropped. Men and women are still being robbed and, as recently as yesterday, brutally beaten for their pocket-sized computers.

Yes, since Apple launched a kill-switch for their devices, thefts of iPhones have dropped nearly 38%, and Android and Windows developers will be following suit as a law requiring all cell phones to be equipped with the device-killers will be in place next year. But none of that matters to the man who, early Thursday, got beaten unconscious by robbers intent on taking his cell phone.

This poor 35-year-old guy, SF Weekly reports, was kicked and punched by six men until he fell to the ground, unconscious at 16th and Mission Streets at 1:30 a.m. on Thursday.

Area resident Cassandra happened on the victim shortly after the attack, and tells ABC7 that she was taken aback by the extent of his injuries.

"He had injuries like to the head," she said, gesturing to her own face. "He had like big red spots where I guess they kicked him on each side of his face when he was down."

The man, who hailed a cab to SFPD's Mission Station to report the crime, also broke a tooth during the attack. He was taken to San Francisco General Hospital to be treated for his injuries.

At publication time, SFPD did not have any suspect information or additional details on the crime. Do you? If so, please call the police's tip line at 415-575-4444.

But, please, for pete's sake, pull out your phone in a safe place! And don't rely on your phone's kill switch to protect you from harm.

Previously: Cell Phone Kill-Switch Bill Heads To Governor's Desk

[ABC7]
[SF Weekly]