Tourists mugged at gunpoint on San Francisco’s Twin Peaks

Tourists point out different parts of the city while enjoying a sunny but blustery day at Twin Peaks in San Francisco, California, on Sunday, Nov. 15, 2015. Tourists point out different parts of the city while enjoying a sunny but blustery day at Twin Peaks in San Francisco, California, on Sunday, Nov. 15, 2015. Photo: Connor Radnovich, The Chronicle Buy photo Photo: Connor Radnovich, The Chronicle Image 1 of / 5 Caption Close Tourists mugged at gunpoint on San Francisco’s Twin Peaks 1 / 5 Back to Gallery

Two photo-snapping sightseers in their 20s were robbed at gunpoint Monday night on Twin Peaks in San Francisco, the latest in a rash of crimes targeting tourists at the popular vista, police said.

The men, one from Russia and another from outside California, were taking pictures around 10 p.m. when two robbers approached them. Police said one of the assailants put a handgun against one sightseer’s back and threatened to shoot if either of them yelled.

The other mugger took the backpack from the other victim, officials said. It contained two computer tablets, a hard drive, a camera, a camera lens, and U.S. and European currency, police said.

The two suspects fled on foot, and no arrests have been made.

The mugging was the latest crime at the popular photography destination targeting sightseers.

Police have reported robberies in the area of other camera-toting travelers in recent months, and the spot was the site of a grisly shooting in February that left two people dead and one seriously injured.

Officer Giselle Talkoff, a police spokeswoman, said car break-ins are by far the biggest crime in the area. In response to the Monday night mugging, the Police Department is deploying a “rapid response team,” or frequent patrol officers, to the area, along with plainclothes officers.

“A lot of our suspects know it’s a popular destination point for tourists,” she said.

Kimberly Veklerov is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: kveklerov@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @kveklerov