[Reprinted from The Richmond Police Station Newsletter of July 24, 2009. To be added to their mailing list, email the station at sfpd.richmond.station@sfgov.org or visit their website.]
CAPTAIN RICHARD CORREIA’S MESSAGE
On July 21, 2009 twenty-five Richmond residents attended our police-community forum on graffiti. The group heard from Officer Christopher Putz of the Police Department’s Graffiti Abatement Unit and Ms. Peachy Mathias from the Department of Public Works (DPW). Peachy and Chris provided a great deal of insight into the many types of graffiti, the mindset of the graffiti vandal and what we as a community can do about graffiti vandalism. The DPW’s website contains a great deal of information on the topic of graffiti.
At Richmond Station we will be starting an anti-graffiti operation next week that includes distributing literature to merchants and residents and notifying the DPW about graffiti that needs to be removed. Also, please call 911 immediately if you see act graffiti in progress.
During the past week, there were 20 traffic accidents, 1 involving injuries. There were also 3 arrests for driving under the influence.
NOTEWORTY ARRESTS
On 07/16 at 6:20pm, officers responded to a call of vandalism in progress on the 3100 block of Geary. The employees of the business were detaining the suspect, who had kicked the glass door and broke it. Officers arrived and were told that the suspect had been in the business earlier in the day and was acting erratically. When she returned, she was told that she was not welcome in the shop. The suspect became upset and pulled the employees hair, the employee was able to get free and shut the door to the business. The suspect then kicked the door. The suspect, a 23 year old female was charged with vandalism and battery.
On 07/17 at 9:10am an officer was patrolling in the area of 25th and Geary when he saw a woman lying face down in the bus shelter. He stopped to check on her and she told the officer she was fine. The officer ran a warrant check on her and discovered she had an outstanding warrant for a parole violation. The 40 year old female was charged accordingly.
On 07/22 at 10:10pm, plainclothes officers were patrolling in the area of 41st and Balboa when they saw a male known to them from prior arrests. The officers attempted to make contact with the male who told them he had not done anything wrong and continued to walk past the officers. The suspect walked past the front of the officer’s car and put his hands in his front pants pocket. As the headlight fully illuminated the suspect, they could see that he removed three zip-loc baggies containing narcotics and dropped them to the ground. The suspect, a 29 year old male was charged with a narcotics violation.
NOTEWORTHY INCIDENTS
Between 07/15, 12:00am and 07/18, 4:10pm on the 3500 block of Fulton, a suspect gained entry into an apartment and took a laptop and game console. The suspect gained entry via an open window.
Between 07/16, 10:00pm and 07/19, 2:00pm on the 600 block of 25th Ave, a suspect gained entry into an apartment garage and took a bike. There were no signs of forced entry.
On 07/17, between 7:15am and 10:30pm on the 800 block of 25th Ave, a suspect gained entry into an apartment by prying open the front door. Once inside the suspect took a laptop.
On 07/17, between 8:30am and 6:00pm on the 600 block of 3rd Ave, a suspect gained entry into an apartment by prying open the lobby door, then the front door to the victim’s apartment. The suspect took watches and a laptop.
On 07/17 at 2:10pm, on the 600 block of Clement St, a suspect punctured two tires of a Department of Parking and Traffic Cushman.
Between 07/18, 11:00pm and 07/19, 11:00am on the 1500 block of Lake St, a suspect gained entry into a garage and took two bicycles. There were no signs of forced entry.
Between 07/18, 4:00pm and 07/19, 3:30pm on the 500 block of 9th Ave, a suspect gained entry into a home under construction. The suspect entered the home via the scaffolding and pried open a window. The suspect took tools.
On 07/19 at 12:05am, the victim, who was intoxicated, was walking home in the area of 24th Ave and Clement. An unknown suspect came up to the victim and punched her in the face and took her purse.
On 07/19 at 1:56am, on the 3900 block of Geary, the victim was standing outside a bar in which several musical groups had just played. He was speaking to one of the female singers, who then left. One of the males in a group approached the victim and accused him of calling the female a derogatory name. The victim told the male that he didn’t and the suspect took a swing at him and missed. The two began to grapple with each other when the victim was suddenly struck in the back of the head by a second male. The victim fell to his knees and saw three other males rushing at him. The victim was able to get up and run away. The suspect fled the scene and the victim was transported to a local hospital for a laceration to his head. The initial suspect was described as a male in his 20’s wearing dark clothing and was bald.
On 07/19 at 3:05am, the victim was walking on Park Presidio from Geary Bl. He noticed group of 5 or 6 males walking in the same direction. One of the males asked the victim for a cigarette and the victim obliged. The victim was then surrounding by the group who started going through the victims jacket and pants pockets. One of the suspects took the victims I-phone and they began to walk away. The victim confronted the group and two of the suspects punched him in the face. The suspects fled westbound on Geary Bl. The main suspect was described as being 15-20 years of age, wearing a white t-shirt and black baseball cap.
On 07/21 at 2:53am, officers responded to a call of a fire at an apartment building on the 700 block of Presidio. SFFD was on scene and advised the officers that the fire, which had been set in the entrance way to the building, appeared to be arson. Officers spoke with several tenants of the building and learned that two different residents were awoken to the sound of fire alarm and got up to investigate. They saw the flames outside the front door and one grabbed the fire extinguisher and the other the garden hose and put out the fire. There were no injuries.
On 07/22 at 1:50am on the 3001 block of Cabrillo, the resident of the home heard a loud noise outside his bedroom window. He banged on the wall to alert what or who ever was making the noise. He then heard a commotion as if someone was running away. He went outside to investigate and saw that his wife’s bike, which had been padlocked to the windows security bar, was missing. The suspect left behind a set of bolt cutters.