CAPTAIN ERIC VINTERO’S MESSAGE
You are cordially invited to attend a special community meeting on Monday, June 4, from 6 to 8 PM. Come hear District Attorney George Gascón discuss the expansion of the Neighborhood Prosecutor and Neighborhood Courts program.

DA Gascón launched a new initiative in May 2011 to quickly resolve low level crimes through community leadership and restorative justice. Low level crimes will be immediately referred to the neighborhood court neighborhood panels for non-criminal resolutions that combine accountability with neighborhood improvement.

DA Gascón will be joined by Supervisor Eric Mar, and Richmond Station Captain Eric Vintero.

At the meeting, you will learn about the new model, get a chance to dialogue with the DA, and learn how you can volunteer to serve as a neighborhood court adjudicator.

The meeting will be held at:
Richmond District Station Community Room
461 6th Avenue / Bet. Geary Blvd. and Anza Street

For more information about the meeting, please call Rebecca Prozan, Rebecca.prozan@sfgov.org, 558-2449 or Jackson Gee, 575.6328 or Jackson.Gee@sfgov.org. .

Our next Community meeting will be held on Tuesday, May 15, 2012 at 7pm. It will be in the Community Room, here at Richmond Station, 461 6th Ave.

NOTEWORTHY ARRESTS
On 05/02/12, at 8:06am, plainclothes officers were at the west end of Golden Gate Park and observed the suspect walking along the curb line, looking into the windows of parked cars. The officers followed him for some time and detained him at 45th Ave and Lincoln Way. The suspect, a 38 year old male was on probation and in possession of narcotics. He was charged accordingly.

On 05/03/12 at 9:15am, a homeless male, after being told to leave the area by a Golden Gate Park gardener, punctured the tire of the gardener’s vehicle. The suspect, a 50 year old male was charged with vandalism.

On 05/03/12 at 10:18pm, plainclothes officers were in the area of 21st Ave and Geary and observed a male standing on the corner, yelling and screaming. As they stopped to do a well being check on him, he entered the passenger side of a vehicle which began to reverse onto the sidewalk. The officers ran the plate and the vehicle came back registered to a male they knew from previous encounters for copper theft. They detained the two males and the confirmed that the driver was the male they had contacts with in the past. As the driver had a suspended license, the officers had the vehicle towed and upon doing a search of the vehicle, discovered several hundred pounds of copper wiring in the vehicle. The driver/suspect was charged with possession of stolen property and driving with a suspended license.

On 05/04/12 at 10:43pm, an officer conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle at California St and 5th Ave. When the
officer approached the driver’s side window, he could smell marijuana coming from inside the vehicle and saw a Ziploc baggie of marijuana on the back seat. The officer asked if the driver had a cannabis card and the driver said he did, but it was issued from another state. He advised the officer that his card was in his backpack and went to reach into the backseat to get it. The officer asked him if he had any weapons and the male said he had a handgun in his bag. The male was ordered to drop the bag and exit the vehicle and he complied. The male stated that the gun belongs to his father and he carries it with him as he travels a lot. The 32 year old male was charged with possession of a loaded firearm.

On 05/07/12, at 5:30am, on the 600 block of 14th Ave , a neighbor was walking past his friend’s home and saw that his garage door was open. When he looked inside he saw the suspect standing next to the car parked inside and asked what he was doing. The suspect said “I’m picking up the car.” When the neighbor asked what the owner of the cars name was, the suspect replied “I ain’t telling you.” The neighbor said he was going up to wake up the home owner and when he exited the garage the suspect fled. A short time later when the owner came out, his other car which had been parked across the street was gone as well as the keys that had been hanging in the garage. The stolen vehicle had a tracking system in it and plainclothes officers located it on the unit block of 12th Street. The officers were able to determine from a nearby security camera who parked the car and which building the suspect entered. The officers conducted a search of the building and found the suspect hiding under a pile of clothes on a bed. The suspect, who is on parole and had a parole violation warrant, was charged with the theft and possession of stolen property.

On 05/09/12 at 8:50pm, plainclothes officers observed a van parked in a parking lot on the 800 block of LaPlaya. Officers knew the van and the owner and that he was on probation. The van left the parking lot and drove to the area of Kirkham and 48th Ave where it was stopped. The officer conducted a probation search on the male and his van and discovered methamphetamine and packaging for sales. The 49 year old male was charged with narcotic and probation violations.

NOTEWORTHY INCIDENTS
Between 05/05/12 2pm and 05/07/12, 7:15am on the 3400 block of Clay St, a suspect gained entry into an apartment building garage possibly by accessing an electrical panel on the exterior of the building. The suspect then broke into a vehicle parked inside and took a silver tray.

On 05/06/12 at 2:10am, the victim was walking on Clement near 28th Ave , when the suspects ran up from behind
him, one of them pointing a handgun at him. The suspects demanded his property and the victim handed over his wallet. When the victim handed him his phone the suspect said he didn’t want it. The suspect then fled west on Clement St . The suspects were described as a black male with a gray hooded sweatshirt and an Asian male, 5’7.

On 05/06/12 at 2:00am on the 1900 block of Lyon , the residents were awoken to a loud bang coming from their inner staircase. They got up and looked around the home and then went down the inner staircase and saw that their front door was open. Thinking the wind had blown open the door; they secured it and went back to bed. In the morning they realized that an iPhone, iPad and wallet had been taken.

Between 05/06/12, 5pm and 05/07/12, 8am on the 2300 block of Divisadero, a suspect gained entry into a garage which has an open area to the rear. The suspect then took a Toyota pickup that was parked inside.

On 05/08/12 at 5pm, the victim was jogging on a path on JFK Drive west of Transverse Drive. The victim saw the suspect jogging towards her and noted he was not wearing jogging clothes. As the suspect passed he grabbed her elbow and then ran off. She then noticed that there was a white powdery substance on her arm which began to burn. The suspect was described as a Hispanic male, 45-55 yrs, with brown shoulder length hair, wearing a dark baseball cap, off white button up dress shirt and khaki pants and stained teeth. The victim reported this the following day.

On 05/11/12 at 1:40am, the victim was walking home and in the area of 8th Ave and California St. She became
aware that someone was behind her and as she slowed to enter her building the suspect put his hand on her back. She told the suspect to remove his hand and as she turned to knock his hand away, he grabbed her buttocks and pushed her up against the gate. She managed to push him away, get inside the gate and lock the door. The suspect was described as a white male, 40-45yrs, 6’2” wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and blue jeans.

CAPTAIN ERIC VINTERO’S MESSAGE
Multi-unit apartment auto-burglaries:
The Richmond District has recently seen a spike in auto-burglaries occurring inside of the shared garages of multi-unit apartment buildings. Burglars are gaining entry into many of the buildings because the garage door was left open. All of the cars which were broken into had valuables inside (which were visible). Please remember not to leave any valuables inside of your parked vehicle. Many of these types of apartment buildings are easy to enter and are often targeted by burglars. Burglars are opportunists who walk, drive, or ride their bikes around the neighborhood looking for a “soft” target. You can greatly reduce your chance of having your car broken into by never leaving anything inside of a parked vehicle. Also, remember to secure all doors (including the garage door) to your residence. Call 911 to report any suspicious activity or people. We will be increasing our patrols in areas where we see similar patterns.

Doyle Drive Weekend Recap:
There was only one reported minor injury accident this weekend. It occurred on MLK Drive and Crossover Drive inside of Golden Gate Park. Thanks to the collaborative efforts of CALTRANS, Park Presidio Parkway , MTA, SFPD, CHP , US PARK police, and other assisting agencies, this weekends Doyle Drive closure was an overall success.

Subway (5650 Geary Blvd.):
The Subway sandwich restaurant located at 5650 Geary Blvd., has applied for an extended hours permit to be able to stay open for 24 hours. There will be a SF Entertainment Commission Hearing on Tuesday May, 8th at 6:30 pm at City Hall, room 400 regarding this permit application as well as other applications throughout the city. All are welcome to attend to voice opposition or recommendation for this permit.

Our next Community meeting will be held on Tuesday, May 15, 2012 at 7pm. It will be in the Community Room, here at Richmond Station.

NOTEWORTHY ARRESTS
On 04/27/12 at 6:10pm, officers responded to the area of Arguello and Anza on a report of a male yelling at passerby’s, threatening to kill them. Officers located the suspect and determined that he had an outstanding warrant for robbery from Alameda County. The suspect, a 45 year old male, was booked.

On 04/29/12, an officer was patrolling the area of the Lily Pond inside Golden Gate Park off of Middle Drive East. He came across an encampment and determined that one of the males had an outstanding warrant for his arrest for a narcotic violation. The 22 year old male was booked.

On 04/30/12 at 1:52pm, an officer was patrolling the area of Geary and Beaumont when he observed the suspect urinating on the side of a building. The officer detained the male who stated that he had no identification and that he had left his wallet at a friend’s home. The officer had the male sit on the curb while continuing to speak to him and the suspect suddenly pulled his feet in as if he was preparing to stand and run. The officer told him to stay seated and when told he was going to be placed in handcuffs, the suspect moved his hands to the front of his body to prevent the officer from handcuffing him. The officer after a short struggle was able to detain the male. The suspect was told that without identification, he could not be issued a citation at the scene and released. The suspect finally admitted that his wallet was in the vehicle and told the officer where to find it. When the officer opened the driver side door, he could see in the side pocket of the door a large quantity of pills which was later determined to be Ecstasy. He also located a large plastic bag filled with marijuana. The 20 year old male charged with various narcotic related violations.

NOTEWORTHY INCIDENTS
Between 04/27/12, 12pm and 04/28/12, 11:30AM on the 200 block of 2nd Ave, a suspect gained entry into a garage and broke into a vehicle parked inside. The suspect took a pair of sunglasses. There were no signs of forced entry into the garage.

Between 04/27/12, 6:30pm and 04/28/12, 8am on the 300 block of 8th Ave, a suspect gained entry into a garage by unknown means. Once inside the suspect broke the window of a vehicle parked in the garage and took two pairs of sunglasses.

On 04/28/12 at 1:50am, the victim was walking on the 2800 block of California St . He heard a noise behind him and when he turned around, he saw a male behind him but in a distance. He continued walking when a short time later he was struck in behind his ear with an unknown object. He turned around and saw the male that had been behind him, along with another male, and they ordered him to give up his bag and phone. The victim complied and the suspects fled south on Baker St. The suspects were described as Hispanic males, 18-24 yrs of age; one wearing a baggie gray sweatshirt, the other was only described as heavy set.

On 04/28/12 at 3:15am, a witness was walking home on the 2900 block of Jackson St. As he passed a residence he noticed that the front and garage doors were both wide open and called 911. Officers arrived on scene and were able to contact the homeowners who had been in bed, asleep. The victim surveyed the home and saw that two bikes were missing from the garage.

Between 04/28/12, 9:30pm and 04/29/12, 6:30am, three different apartment building garages were broken into on the 4400, 4600 and 4700 block of Balboa. In each incident the suspect broke into cars parked inside and took GPS’s, a DVD player and cash. One of the victims reported hearing her garage door open around 3:00am, but thought it was another tenant in the building coming home.

Between 04/28/12, 11:40pm and 04/29/12, 9:20am on the 400 block of 34th Ave, a suspect gained entry into an
apartment building by placing a thin strip of metal between the front door frame and lock. The suspect was then able to access the garage and broke out the windows of three vehicles parked inside. The suspect took GPS’s and CD’s.

On 04/29/12 at 10:45pm, the victim got onto an outbound 38 Geary MUNI line from the downtown area. The victim
noticed the suspects getting on the bus near Powell St , one of whom sat directly behind him. The victim then got off the bus at 17th and Geary Bl and was waiting for the light to change to cross the street. The suspects stood next to him and one of them tried to talk to the victim. The victim speaks very limited English and told the suspect he didn’t understand him. The victim began to cross the street with the suspects still following. The victim noticed that one now had a hammer in his hand and told the victim to give up his phone. The victim got scared and began to run when the suspect hit him in the arm and rib cage with the hammer. The victim continued to run and was tackled by the suspect and ended up on the ground. The other two suspects began to kick the victim while the first suspect took the victims phone from his pocket and rosary bead bracelet from his wrist. They then fled east on Geary. The suspects were described as Hispanic or white males, 18-20 years of age, one wearing a black beanie and white t-shirt, another had a black hooded sweatshirt and dark pants. The victim refused medical treatment.

Between 04/30/12, 2:30pm and 05/01/12, 11:45am on the 1200 block of Anza, a suspect gained entry into a garage and broke into a vehicle parked inside. The suspect took a GPS and coins.

Between 04/30/12, 10pm and 05/01/12, 6am on the 1000 block of Anza, a vehicle parked inside a garage was broken into and an iPod was taken. There were no signs of forced entry into the garage.

On 05/01/12, between 11:40am and 5:45pm on the 600 block of 33rd Ave , a suspect gained entry into an apartment and took two laptops and jewelry. The victims said there was something wrong with the main door into the building and it is often left ajar.

CAPTAIN ERIC VINTERO’S MESSAGE
The Officers at Richmond Station have been working extremely hard to ensure public safety and reduce the crime rates in the District. The 2012 first quarter crime statistics for the Richmond District look good in comparison to the same time last year. YTD, violent crime is down 17%. Violent crimes include homicide (none YTD), rape (none YTD), robbery (-32% YTD), and aggravated assaults (-3% YTD). Property crimes which include burglary, auto theft, auto burglary, and personal/other theft is slightly up 5% YTD. We will be working hard to prevent and investigate the property crimes in the district. All SFPD crime statistics are available on the SFPD website under the COMPSTAT link.

Crime Patterns/Trends:
Auto burglaries continue to happen in areas where tourists visit and park their vehicles. Burglaries of automobiles happen in every large city and we need your help in reducing these crimes in the City. Thieves frequent tourist areas looking for cars which have items of personal property visible in the passenger area. Most often thieves will smash a window to enter a vehicle, which bypasses the passive alarm system found in modern vehicles. Remember, an auto burglary can be completed in less than 5 seconds! The best way to prevent being a victim of auto burglary is by removing ALL personal items from your vehicle before you leave it unattended. If you decide to place items in your trunk, do this blocks away from where you are going to park. Many auto-burglars loiter and watch for people who hide valuables in the trunk of their car. Officers at Richmond Station have increased uniformed patrols, plain-clothes patrols, educational outreach, and have partnered with other specialized units within the SFPD to bring needed resources to these areas. We have identified several possible suspects as well. The majority of the victims continue to be tourists in rental cars who leave luggage, GPS devices, and electronics in plain-view.

Richmond Station has seen a slight spike in auto-burglaries in the following areas: Point Lobos (from 43rd Avenue to the Great Highway), Golden Gate Park (especially in the area around MLK and Tea Garden Drive, and JFK/Great Highway), and the area around the Legion of Honor. Richmond Station has also been working closely with the US Park Police to share suspect information and increase patrols in the areas where we share borders. Hundreds of auto-burglary advisory educational pamphlets have been placed on the windshields of vehicles in these problem areas. Please call 911 to report any suspicious persons casing vehicles.

Home burglaries, especially burglaries of apartments continue to happen. They are occurring all over the district and the only pattern is that the majority of them are occurring at apartment buildings which have a large shared common area garage. Oftentimes, the burglar gains entry because the front door or garage door is left open. Bicycles are usually the items most frequently taken. Many of the victims of these burglaries do not know the serial number of their bicycle which makes it very difficult, if not impossible, to recover. Many of the bikes are stolen and quickly sold. Please make a point to document the serial number of your bicycle. Also, remember to lock all of your doors and windows. Get to know your neighbors and establish neighborhood watch groups. SF SAFE will respond to your residence and conduct a free safety inspection and give you tips on how to “harden the target.” Overall, burglary is slightly down 1% TYD. The Officers at Richmond station track and follow up on known parolees and individuals on probation who commit property crimes such as burglary. We will continue to conduct increased patrols in areas where we see patterns (we review all reports daily). Please call 911 to report any suspicious persons or activity.

Traffic Issues:
Richmond Station deploys its resources based on traffic accident data and community input. Officers on patrol are also vigilant and take enforcement action when they on-view violations. Officers continue to cite motorists who speed on Fulton , as this Street has been identified as being one of our most problematic corridors. Due to numerous complaints from residents about stop sign violators, the Balboa Street corridor has recently received extra attention. Over the past several weeks, numerous citations for stop sign violations have been issued. We will continue to run pedestrian decoy operations, especially in areas around senior citizen centers. Two DUI checkpoints in the Richmond district were conducted by the traffic company over the past two months, one on Geary and 9th Avenue , and another on Geary and Steiner. Richmond Station also has two radar trailers which are often deployed on the most problematic corridors. We will be sending more officers to radar gun training so that we will have the ability to issue even more citations for speeding. Traffic Safety is a high priority and we will continue to utilize our resources wisely in an effort to maximize traffic calming effects throughout the district.

Doyle Drive Closure:
Due to the Closure of Doyle Drive, there will be heavy traffic congestion in the Richmond District this weekend. The MTA and SFPD Traffic Company will be providing much needed resources to Park Presidio Boulevard to assist with traffic control. South bound traffic from Park Presidio will be allowed to make a left turn onto eastbound California and Geary Boulevard . Please allow yourself extra travel time if you need to travel through this area. Also, if you are a pedestrian, bicyclist, or motorist, remember to be defensive at all times.

Our next Community meeting will be held on Tuesday, May 15, 2012 at 7pm. It will be in the Community Room, here at Richmond Station.

NOTEWORTHY ARRESTS
On 04/21/12 at 12:41am, plainclothes officers were on Lincoln Way near the Great Highway. They saw the suspect standing in the intersection flailing his arms and screaming incoherently at the officers. They stopped to do a well being check on the male and saw that he was very jittery and nervous. When they asked what was wrong the suspect told them “I am nervous because I am on probation and I have meth in my pocket.” The suspect was also in possession of syringes. The 25 year old male was charged with narcotic and probation violations.

On 04/23/12 at 2:50am, the victim was in his sleeping area of an apartment when he was confronted by the suspect, his roommate. The roommate was upset with the victim as he was watching adult videos on his computer and the roommate felt that this was disrespectful as the roommates mother also lived in the apartment. The roommate suddenly jumped on the victim and punched him several times in the face, knocking out one of the victim’s teeth. The victim also sustained several lacerations to his face and was finally able to get out of the house. The suspect, a 42 year old male was charged with aggravated assault.

On 04/25/12 at 12:50pm, officers were conducting traffic enforcement in the area of Fulton and 37th Ave. An officer made a traffic stop on a vehicle that was traveling at 40 MPH in a 25 MPH zone. It was determined that the driver, a 24 year old female was driving on a suspended license and had a warrant for her arrest for reckless driving. She was charged accordingly.

On 04/25/12, a SFPD Mounted Unit was on a pathway in the area of Chain of Lakes Drive inside Golden Gate Park. The officer came across the suspect who had been cited several times in the past for breaking off tree limbs and disturbing the natural habitat of the park. This time the suspect walked out of a wooded area with logs and tree limbs and was ordered by the officer to place the items on the ground. The suspect told the “I can do whatever I want.” At that time another Mounted Unit arrived on scene and the suspect complied. The suspect, a 56 year old male, was charged with a Park Code prohibiting the removal of trees, wood, etc.

NOTEWORTHY INCIDENTS
On 04/13/12 at 3pm, the victim was walking on the unit block of Annapolis Terrace. As she passed a home the suspect appeared from some bushes and raised and lowered his arm, cutting her arm with a sharp object. The victim said she grabbed the suspect by the wrist and kicked him in the chest. The suspect fell to the ground and the victim fled. The injury to the victim was minor and she refused further medical treatment. The suspect was described as a white or Hispanic male, 35-39 years of age, with long matted hair, dark clothing and facial hair.

On 04/19/12 a woman attended an event in Golden Gate Park . She checked her coat, worth $12,000, into the coat check upon her arrival. When she left for the evening the coat check was closed and upon her return the following day, she discovered her coat was gone.

On 04/21/12 at 5:15am, officers were called to the 2800 block of Clay on a burglary that had just occurred. The caller had reported that she had heard the sound of glass breaking and when she looked out her window she observed a male walking down the street riding one bike and pushing another. She then saw that the window was smashed on the bike shop across the street. The owners arrived later and told the officers that they were in fact missing two bicycles and the suspect had gained entry into the business by prying open both the front gate and door. The suspect was described as a male wearing dark clothes and a bike helmet.

Between 04/21/12, 8pm and 04/22/12, 12:30pm on the 6100 block of California a suspect gained entry into a garage and broke into a vehicle parked inside. The suspect took an iPod. The locking mechanism for the front door of the building was not working properly.

Between 04/21/12, 10pm and 04/22/12, 11am on the 5600 block of California a suspect gained entry into a garage of a multi-unit building and broke into a vehicle. The suspect took an iPod. There were no signs of forced entry.

On 04/22/12 at 1:30pm, the victim was sitting on her front steps on the 3000 block of Fulton St . A vehicle stopped in front of her home and the passenger, a female asked for help. She told the victim that they were lost and could the victim make a call for her. The victim walked over to the car and dialed the number provided by the passenger. The victim told the male that answered the phone that his sister was lost and looking for him. The male on the phone then asked to speak to his sister and the victim handed the passenger her phone. The driver of the vehicle then grabbed the phone and took off north on 7th Ave from Fulton with the victim’s phone. The vehicle was described as a gold compact with black trim on the sides. The passenger was a Hispanic female, 16yrs with black hair, wearing a black t-shirt. The driver was a Hispanic female with a pink t-shirt and blonde streaks in her bangs.

Between 04/22/12, 2pm and 04/23/12, 6:30am on the 800 block of 47th Ave , a suspect gained entry into a garage
and took a bike. The victim stated that the front door to the building is often left unlocked.

On 04/23/12 at 12:50am, officers were called to a report of a gun related call on the 3900 block of Geary Bl. The officers learned from a witness that he observed two suspects punching the victim several times knocking him to the ground, where they continued to punch him. The witness separated the parties and the victim went inside a business to clean up and the suspects fled on foot. While the victim was inside one of the suspects returned and removed a handgun from his sweatshirt pocket. The suspect stood for a moment and then fled again. He was seen in a silver BMW with tinted windows and a loud exhaust. The suspects were described as Asian males in their mid 20’s, one being 6’2, 240lbs wearing a gray sweatshirt. The victim was uncooperative and refused medical treatment.

On 04/24/12, between 7pm and 8:30pm on the 800 block of 31st Ave, a suspect gained entry into a home and began to pack up items taken from inside, into the victim’s vehicle which was parked in the garage. It is unknown if the victim scared the suspect off upon returning home, but it appears nothing was taken although the house had been ransacked. There were no signs of forced entry.

On 04/25/12 at 2:15pm, an 8 year old boy came into Richmond Station with his dad to turn in money he had found on the sidewalk the previous day. The young man was told that if it was unclaimed after 90 days, he could claim it.

CAPTAIN ERIC VINTERO’S MESSAGE
Traffic Issues:
Richmond Station Officers will be focusing extra attention on the Balboa Street corridor this week in an effort to increase traffic, pedestrian, and bicycle safety. This is in response to community input, especially complaints regarding motorists failing to stop for stop signs. In addition, the radar trailer has been deployed on Turk Street near Stanyan in an effort to remind motorists to slow down and obey all posted speed limits.

Auto Burglaries:
The Outer Richmond, especially Point Lobos and the Great Highway is experiencing a spike in auto-burglaries. If you live, work, or park in the area for recreational activities, please remember to lock your vehicle and do not leave any property visible inside of it. Please dial 911 if you observe suspicious persons loitering around vehicles or looking into parked cars (casing). Many of the vehicle’s which have been targeted have been rental cars belonging to tourists which had property left inside (such as GPS devices, suitcases, back-packs, luggage, and purses). Richmond station has been conducting extra patrols and enforcement operations in this area. In addition, we have been placing auto-burglary advisory leaflets on parked cars in the area to educate the public of this problem.

Our next Community meeting will be held on Tuesday, May 15, 2012 at 7pm. It will be in the Community Room, here at Richmond Station.

NOTEWORTHY ARRESTS
On 04/15/12 at 9:45pm, officers observed the suspect riding a bicycle on the sidewalk on the 3200 block of Geary Bl. They detained him to advise regarding the violation and determined that he had an outstanding warrant for his arrest for narcotic violations. He was also in possession of narcotic paraphernalia. The 53 year old male was charged accordingly.

On 04/17/12 at 5:08am, officers were in Golden Gate Park near a dirt pathway close to Fulton St and LaPlaya. They observed the suspect sleeping off of the path and woke him. They advised him regarding sleeping in the park and a warrant check determined that he was wanted on a parole violation warrant. The 28 year old male was charged with the warrant.

NOTEWORTHY INCIDENTS
Between 04/15/12, 3pm and 04/16/12, 5:30am on the 400 block of Cabrillo, a suspect gained entry into a garage, possibly by “jimmying” the front door. Once in the garage the suspect took a camera and tools from a vehicle parked inside.

On 04/17/12 between 7:30am and 6pm on the 2000 block of Post St , the suspect gained entry into an apartment and took a laptop and banking information. There were no signs of forced entry.

Between 04/17/12, 11pm and 04/18/12, 9:30am on the unit block of Collins a suspect entered an unsecured garage and gained access into the trunk of a vehicle parked inside. The suspect took 2 laptops and camera equipment.

On 04/18/12, between 12am and 7am on the 200 block of Ewing Terrace, a suspect gained entry into a garage whose door had been left open. The suspect then stole the vehicle that was parked inside. They keys had been left in the vehicle.

On 04/18/12 at 3:18pm, the victim was standing on the sidewalk in front of 25 Point Lobos and her vehicle was parked nearby. She saw two black males in the early 20’s standing around her car. One of the males then distracted her and she then saw the second male smash the window of her vehicle and take her laptop. The suspects then fled in an older model Honda Civic hatchback, black in color.

After complaints from neighbors and increased police calls, the Rockit Room has been under the microscope of the Entertainment Commission over the past several months. In March, the Commission outlined a long list of conditions that the club needed to meet in order to hold on to their right to host live music events.

Most of the conditions required increased security (“Install surveillance cameras inside and outside the door to the venue “, “All security must wear distinctive clothing”, Must pat down and electronically scan every patron”) as well as better handling of the acts that perform at the club (“If using outside promoters, there must be a contract in place prior to event, and they must have special event insurance and be registered with city”).

The Commission also mandated that the club end any live entertainment by 1am and have lights on in the club and bar by 1:30am every night.

But within two weeks of receiving their directive from the Entertainment Commission, the club was already falling short according to local police. Which could spell death for the Rockit Room if their entertainment license were to be revoked.

To avoid further censure by the Commission, the Rockit Room has voluntarily agreed to a 30 day hiatus from live entertainment. Entertainment Commission Executive Director Jocelyn Kane told The Examiner that the club owners voluntarily suspended their permit for one month in order to “rebrand and reprogram” the music venue.

The Rockit Room remains open as a bar and lounge, but live music shows won’t start up again until May 6. During their hiatus, owners will need to continue to make changes to satisfy the conditions laid out by the Entertainment Commission.

The clock is ticking – let’s see if the club can get their act together both as a venue, and as a better neighbor.

Sarah B.

Related stories:
Mar 23, 2012: City tells the Rockit Room on Clement to clean up its act
Feb 13, 2012: Oakland rapper Philthy Rich + two others arrested on Clement, Sunday night

CAPTAIN ERIC VINTERO’S MESSAGE
Sunday Streets
The second of 10 Sunday Streets events will be held this Sunday in Golden Gate Park and along Great Highway . This event covers a route between JFK Drive at Transverse Drive and Great Highway at Sloat Boulevard . The route (see attached map) will be available for recreational activities from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event is free to all participants.

The headquarters for the event will be located at Lincoln Way and Great Highway , where participants can get details about activities along the event route as well as free bike rentals.

The following street closures will be required from 10:45 a.m. to 4:15 p.m.:
- Lincoln Way (westbound only) between MLK Drive and Upper Great Highway
- Lincoln Way (eastbound only) between Upper Great Highway and Lower Great Highway
- Great Highway between Lincoln Way and the south exit Ocean Beach parking lot (only local access will be allowed)
- Great Highway between Fulton Street and the south exit Ocean Beach parking lot
- Upper Great Highway (both directions)
- Golf course access only at Fulton and 47th Avenue
- Transverse, Middle and Martin Luther King, Jr. drives between J. F. Kennedy Drive and Lincoln Way
- No through traffic at Fulton Street and 36th and 30th avenues and Transverse Drive

Personnel from the San Francisco Police Department and the SFMTA will be present to control traffic.

Our next Community meeting will be held on Tuesday, April 17, 2012 at 7pm. It will be in the Community Room, here at Richmond Station.

NOTEWORTHY ARRESTS
On 04/08/12 at 12:50pm, officers were called to a theft that had just occurred on the 3200 block of Geary. The suspect had been waiting in front of the business, waiting for it to open. When it finally did, she came in and inquired about purchasing a cell phone. The employee put the phone on the counter and then went to check on another customer. He returned to the counter and the phone and suspect were gone. Officers searching the area located the suspect at Geary and Collins, in possession of the phone. The 44 year old female, who has numerous prior convictions for theft, was charged with burglary.

On 04/10/12 at 12:20am, officers responded to a report of a burglary that had just occurred on the unit block of Lake St and that the night janitor was chasing the suspect. The janitor, on the phone with 911 was providing a description and direction of the suspect which was being broadcasted to the officers. The suspect was located on the 3700 block of California St after running through the hospital and detained by the officers. The witness reported that he was cleaning one area of the building when he heard the sound of doors closing. He then heard footsteps on the other side of the door in the room he was cleaning and the doors suddenly opened. The janitor said the suspect looked surprised and ran out of the building. It appears that the suspect came in through an unlocked window but was unable to take anything due to being surprised by the janitor. The 46 year old male, who is on probation, was charged with burglary, possession of burglar tools and narcotic violations.

On 04/10/12 two robberies occurred in the Richmond District within a half an hour of each other. The first occurred on the 600 block of Clement St at 5:45pm. The suspects, 3 females, entered a business and forcibly grabbed a cell phone from a 12 year old girl. The second robbery occurred at 23rd Ave and Cabrillo at 5:10pm. The victim was walking home when she was confronted by the same suspects. One grabbed the front of the victim’s shirt and pulled down the collar to see if she was wearing a necklace. The other suspect held onto her while checking her pockets. They found her iPhone in her coat and removed it. As the suspect’s loosened their grasps, the victim ran away. A short time later, the suspects committed another robbery in the Taraval District and a vehicle was seen in that incident. That information was broadcasted and at 9pm, the vehicle was spotted at Fillmore and Haight St . The three female suspects, a 16yr old, 17yr old and 23yr old were charged with numerous counts of robbery.

NOTEWORTHY INCIDENTS
On 04/06/12, between 8:15am and 1pm on the 300 block of 4th Ave , a suspect gained entry into a residence by prying open an alley way door. The suspect then made his way back to a residence in the rear and pried open that door as well. The suspect took two laptop computers.

On 04/06/12 at 3:50pm on the 2900 block of Clay St , a resident of the building arrived home and observed the suspect exiting his garage riding his bike. The victim gave chase but lost the suspect near Sacramento and Divisadero St . He returned to his home and upon checking his garage saw that his wife’s bike was also missing. Another tenant in the building had apparently seen the same suspect at 3pm inside the entrance to the building. That tenant also observed that the front door was damaged and asked the suspect why she was in the building. The suspect said she was visiting a friend. The suspect was described as a white female, 25-30 years of age with blonde hair. She was wearing glasses, a red cap and blue jeans.

Between 04/07/12, 6pm and 04/08/12, 1pm on the 200 block of 3rd Ave , a suspect gained entry into a garage and broke into a car parked inside. The suspect took a roll of quarters. There were no signs of forced entry into the garage.

On 04/09/12 at 4pm, the victim was walking in the area of Maple and Jackson when she felt a sharp pain in her left arm. She looked up and saw a very old gray sedan occupied by 4 white male juveniles. The passenger yelled out to her “Take this one b***h” and they drove off. The victim looked on the ground and saw an orange paint ball pellet which was still intact. The victim refused medical care.

On 04/10/12 at 7:00am, on the 700 block of 8th Ave , the victim was sitting at his desk which faces his backyard. He looked up and saw the suspect hopping fences southbound and he ended up in the caller’s backyard. The suspect saw the caller looking out the window and told him he was lost. The suspect continued south and out of the caller’s sight. A short time later, a neighbor to the north of the original caller reported that his car, which was parked in his garage, had been broken into. The suspect had gotten into the garage through the backyard. The suspect was described as a white male, 25-35 years with scraggly shoulder length black hair and was wearing a black leather jacket.

On 04/11/12 at 9am on the unit block of Jordan Ave , the victim was home in his den when he saw the suspect in his hallway. The victim asked the suspect what was he doing and the suspect replied “Wrong roof.” It was determined that the suspect gained access to the roof by climbing the rear stairwell of a neighboring building. He opened an access panel on the victim’s roof which allowed him to drop down into a closet of the victim’s home. The suspect was described as a Hispanic male, 35-45 years of age. There was no loss.

Those involved in the Richmond District community may know his name. He was a fixture at merchant-related meetings in the neighborhood, known for vociferously opposing the Geary Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project (Editorial: “Merchants out in the cold”).

He had an office on Geary Boulevard – “impressive” according to the Examiner – and was a visible member of the neighborhood upper crust. His wife played tennis at a country club almost every day, and Wilson made cash donations to local organizations.

By all accounts, he appeared to be a concerned citizen and businessman, involved in the Richmond District community and trying to make it a better place.

But two years ago, things began to unravel as business associates of Wilson’s started to piece things together.

What would come to light is that the very people Wilson was rallying for – the members of his community – were the same people he ended up defrauding, allegedly fleecing them of nearly $300,000 in a real estate scam.

The Examiner explains, “Wilson used his fake persona as a wealthy community cheerleader to convince locals to invest in distressed or foreclosed properties, according to police. He allegedly promised to buy the properties, fix them up and resell them at a profit.”

But in Bernie Madoff style, Wilson took the money but never invested it or purchased the properties. Investors grew suspicious when they never saw a return on their investments and after some digging, learned that one of the properties – a home in Milpitas – had never been purchased by Wilson or either of his companies, Tribecca Properties LLC and Lone Cedar Corp.

“He fooled us all,” said one member of the Greater Geary Boulevard Merchant Association to the Examiner, who wished to remain anonymous. “He lived really well with those people’s money.”

One of his victims is a senior citizen who invested $115,000 with Wilson, what the Examiner describes as “a “substantial” portion of his retirement savings.”

Attorney Jordanna Thigpen, who filed a suit on behalf of three of Wilson’s victims, is largely credited with bringing the full extent of his crimes to light.

After she filed the suit, Wilson, 56, went on the run for 22 months until last week when he was arrested in Stockton on charges of defrauding at least seven community members of nearly $300,000.

Wilson is being held in jail in lieu of a $1 million bond being posted.

Sarah B.

CAPTAIN ERIC VINTERO’S MESSAGE
Auto Burglaries:

The Richmond District continues to experience a steady number of auto-burglaries. Many of the auto-burglaries are occurring in areas where tourists visit, such as inside Golden Gate Park, and the area around the Cliff House and Ocean Beach. The vast majority of the vehicles are rental cars. In most of the break-ins, valuables were displayed in plain-view. Items such as backpacks, purses, and laptops are commonly stolen. I have attached a link to a very good YouTube video which shows an auto-burglary suspect casing cars and eventually breaking the window to steal property. If you witness any suspicious individuals casing vehicles or homes, please do not hesitate to call 911. The You Tube Video was produced by the Cerritos Sheriff Department and is titled, “Gone in 3 Seconds.” I think the video does a great job demonstrating how suspects “case” vehicles prior to committing an auto-burglary.

NOTEWORTHY ARRESTS
On 03/30/12 at 8:34am, officers were called to the 5200 block of Geary on a report of a male that had threatened employees at a business and was throwing garbage at them. When officers arrived they were told that the suspect had just boarded a MUNI bus. Officer located the male and detained him. The victims told the officers that they saw the suspect lying down wrapped in a blanket in the outside seating area of the shop. When they asked him to move he refused and said “make me” and swore at them. When told they would be calling the police, the suspect told them that he would come back and do them and the store harm. At one point the suspect lunged at the employees, who then retreated back and the suspect left. The 50 year old male was charged with threats.

On 03/30/12 at 11:11pm, officers were in the area of Geary and 5th Ave, when they observed the suspect riding a bike on the sidewalk. The officers told the suspect to stop the bike and get off so they could speak to him. The suspect complied but then hid behind a pillar in front of a building. The officers thought the may being trying to destroy or hide contraband and they ran after him. When they came around the pillar there was now a hypodermic needle and a metal smoking pipe lying on the ground. They told the suspect he was being detained and he suddenly placed his hand inside his right pocket and turned his back to the officers. The officers grabbed his arm to prevent him from grabbing for a weapon and he began to violently resist the officers. The officers were finally able to detain the male and discovered that he had a baggie of narcotics in his pocket. The 50 year old male was charged with resisting arrest and possession of narcotics.

On 03/31/12 at 5:53pm, plainclothes officers were on Martin Luther King Dr near the south windmill. They observed the suspect walking on Martin Luther King Dr carrying a brown paper bag and a motorcycle helmet. As the officers passed the suspect he yelled a derogatory comment at them and raised his arms as if to challenge them to fight. The officers stopped their vehicle and displaying their stars around their necks approached the suspect. They verbally identified themselves as police officers as they approached the suspect. As they got closer the suspect placed the bag on the ground and rummaged through it. He stood up with an object in his hand and placed the motorcycle helmet on his head. As the officers got closer they saw the object was a large knife. They officers ordered the male to drop the knife several times as he kept approaching the officers. Finally he dropped the knife and lay down on the ground. As the officers tried to handcuff him, he kept his arms under his body to prevent them from doing so. They were finally successful and were able to place the handcuffs on him. The 46 year old male was charged with aggravated assault with a knife, exhibiting a deadly weapon and resisting arrest.

NOTEWORTHY INCIDENTS
Between 03/30/12, 8:30pm anD 03/31/12 3pm on the 400 block of Locust, a suspect gained entry into a multi-unit garage and broke into a vehicle. The suspect took a GPS and radar detector.

Between 04/01/12, 12:00am and 04/02/12, 9:30am on the 100 block of Wood St, a suspect gained entry into a garage and gained access to a vehicle. The suspect took an Ipod and emergency car kit.

On 04/04/12 at 6:00pm, the victim was getting ready to enter her parked vehicle on the 300 block of 20th Ave. The
suspect riding a bicycle, came up from behind her and grabbed her purse from her shoulder and fled west on Geary Bl. The victim tried to give chase in her vehicle but lost him in the area of 25th and Geary. The suspect was described as a white male, 19-25 years of age wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and dark jeans.

On 04/04/12 at 9:15pm, the victim was walking on Laurel St at California St. He was looking down at his phone when he heard someone say, “Give me everything you got.” When the victim looked up there were 3 suspects standing in front of him all armed with handguns. The victim threw his phone towards the suspects and began to reach for his wallet. He looked over his shoulder and saw the fourth suspect behind him, who then struck the victim in his head with the butt of a gun. The suspects then ran off to an awaiting vehicle which was described as an older model silver sedan. The suspects were described as 2 Asian males, 18-20 years of age wearing dark clothing. One was 5’8”, 200lbs, while the other was 5’8” with a skinny build. The third suspect was Hispanic or possibly white also wearing dark clothing.

CAPTAIN ERIC VINTERO’S MESSAGE
Members of the SFPD recently arrested a three-strike parolee who was responsible for a long string of residential burglaries in San Francisco and the Peninsula going back to December 2011. Taken into custody on March 13, 2012 was Albert Hernandez Jr., 44, who resides in Oakland and Daly City. He was arrested by San Francisco Police Officers as he was leaving a San Bruno residence with an armful of property. Hernandez was taken into custody after a brief struggle in which he attempted to flee from Officers.

The SFPD and other local agencies have photographed the recovered property and have uploaded the photos on a web site so that burglary victims can view and identify burglarized items. The web site is:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/recoveredproperty

Persons who believe they recognize their property should send an e-mail to burglarydetail2012@gmail.com, and include the agency with which the report was filed, case number, and the image number and description of the item(s). An investigator from the appropriate agency will contact the victim.

For complete details regarding this great arrest, please visit the SFPD website at www.sf-police.org. You can also find useful crime prevention tips, crime maps/stats, information on how to file a report, and useful links to other City resources on the SFPD website.

The SFPD also uses social media tools to enhance communication with the public. The SFPD website will have links to Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. I strongly encourage you to take advantage of these social media sites so that you can stay informed.

NOTEWORTHY ARRESTS
On 03/25/12 at 7:55am, plainclothes officers were patrolling the area of Sutter and Pierce St when they observed the suspect walking along the curb line looking into the windows of parked vehicles. They recognized the male from a previous arrest and detained him. When the suspect took his ID from his wallet, the officers could see a second ID with someone else’s name on it. He could not explain how he obtained the ID card. He was also in possession of a counterfeit $100.00 bill, a shaved car key and a window punch. The 44-year-old male was charged with possession of the counterfeit bill, burglar tools and stolen property.

On 03/27/12 at 2:55am, officers responded to an alarm call at a business on the 3200 block of Geary Bl. When officers arrived they saw that the glass front doors had been smashed in. Upon making entry, they saw that another interior door had been kicked open and drawers had been opened counters doors had been broken off. Continuing their search of the business they saw that there was another exit door leading into another commercial building. As they made their way through the building and up onto the second floor, they found the suspect hiding under a desk in another office. Lying near him was property that had been taken from the initial business. The suspect, a 26-year-old male was charged with burglary.

On 03/29/12 at 7:55am, officers responded to a call of a suspicious pick up truck and person, and that the male was possibly “casing” homes in the area. The officers located the vehicle at 21st Ave and Cabrillo with a female passenger inside. She told them her husband had walked down the block to look for a friend. The officer could see on the front seat of the pick up truck a catalytic convertor and one protruding from under the front seat. Officers then located the husband at 20th and Balboa Street , and through an investigation determined that the catalytic convertors had been stolen from vehicles in the Sunset District. The husband, a 40-year-old male was charged with burglary, possession of burglar tools, and stolen property.

NOTEWORTHY INCIDENTS
On 03/25/12 on the 300 block of Euclid , the suspect gained entry into a laundry room of an apartment building and pried open the coin receptacle and took an undetermined amount of coins.

On 03/27/12 between 5pm and 10pm on the 700 block of 20th Ave , a suspect gained entry into a garage and took a bike. The suspect may have gained entry by hopping the back fence.

Between 03/27/12, 11:30pm and 03/28/12, 12:30am on the 2600 block of Sacramento St, a suspect gained entry into an alley way between two houses by prying open a side door. The suspect climbed the backstairs of one residence and hopped over to the neighbor’s stairs and into laundry room. The suspect then took a bike that was stored inside by cutting the chain.

On 03/28/12 at 10:30am, the victim was walking north on 17th Ave approaching Geary Bl. She noticed a light
colored SUV pull up next to her in a parking space and the driver/suspect exited the vehicle. He ran up from behind the victim and grabbed her wallet from her hands and fled to the SUV and went eastbound on Geary. The suspect was described as a black male, 25-27 years of age wearing all black clothing.

On 03/28/12 at 6:37pm, the victim was walking eastbound on Euclid approaching Collins Ave. As she got to the corner the first suspect stepped out from a slightly wooded area and grabbed the victim’s I-phone. The victim began to scream and tried to hold onto her phone. At this point a second suspect stepped out from the same area, grabbed the victim’s hair and pulled her to the ground. When the victim fell she dropped her phone which was then taken by the suspects. They fled to an awaiting silver sedan and fled west on Geary Bl. The first suspect was described as a black female, 14-17 years of age, wearing a black jacket and blue jeans; the second was a black male, 14-17 years of age wearing a dark baseball cap and sunglasses.

Is it just me or does it seem like there’s been a rash of stories lately about crooked business owners in the Richmond District?

First there was Pho Clement not paying employees properly for overtime hours (to the tune of a $316,000 settlement).

Last week, we got word that John Campbell’s Irish Bakery failed to pay some of their employees at all – for months - after the owner expanded too quickly and ran into financial problems.

And let’s not forget the Clement Street convenience store owner who was stealing winning lottery tickets from his customers, only to be exposed on national TV by Dateline NBC’s Chris Hansen.

But now there’s a new one to add to the list, with his own colorful story of crime.

The latest Richmond District business owner to behave badly is Michael Chen, the owner of Fune Ya Japanese Restaurant at 354 Clement Street.

The Chronicle reports that Chen was stashing receipts in boxes in a crawl space underneath the restaurant floor. Feds found 26 boxes of receipts, all not-so-cleverly marked “seasoned Octopus”. The receipts revealed cash transactions that Chen never reported to the IRS. Uh oh.

And before you chalk Chen’s errors up to unskilled accounting… Investigators also found an encrypted Excel spreadsheet in his files that showed $1.9 million in sales (woah, I am in the wrong business!). But Chen only reported $450,165 in sales to the California Board of Equalization and $65,738 in sales to the IRS.

Fune Ya is now closed, and owner Michael Chen was convicted by a federal jury this week of filing false federal corporate income tax returns and mail fraud. No word yet on what his sentence will be.

Sarah B.