[Reprinted from The Richmond Police Station Newsletter of October 22, 2010. To be added to the station’s mailing list, email sfpd.richmond.station@sfgov.org.]
CAPTAIN RICHARD CORREIA’S MESSAGE
I received an envelope in the mail at home this week that contained a letter stating I had won the Canadian lottery. What good luck! My Dad would have said: “your ship has come in!” Accompanying the letter was a check in the amount $4700.00 that was payable to me to pay the taxes on my lottery prize.
Since the letter that was sent as part of a mass mailing I suspect that many of you also received one. I knew that the letter was sent as a part of a criminal fraud; however, I took the check to one of our local banks to see what the branch manager thought of it. The check was a proper financial instrument and could be negotiated.
Unfortunately, the criminals tell their victims to cash the check and then use some of the proceeds to obtain a cashier’s check to pay the “lottery” tax. The victim then sends the cashier’s check to an off-shore address and a week later the first check is returned to the victim’s bank unpaid.
Each month several members of our community fall victim to this fraud. Please be careful and remember that no legitimate sweepstakes requires payment to receive a prize.
Our next Police Community Forum will be on November 16, 2010 at 7:00 PM at Richmond Station. Please join us to discuss public safety in the Richmond.
During the past week in the District there were 18 traffic accidents 5 involving injuries. There were 5 citations issued for driving without a license or driving on a suspended license. There were 5 arrests for driving under the influence.
NOTEWORTHY ARRESTS
On 10/15/10 at 7:00am an officer was on patrol in the area of MLK Drive & 9th Avenue. He observed the suspect walking along the curb line looking into the windows of parked vehicles. As he got closer he recognized the suspect from prior arrests and when the suspect saw the officer he tried to conceal an object he had in his hand. The officer determined that the item was a flashlight. The suspect, who is on probation in both San Francisco and San Mateo counties, was also in possession of narcotics and had an outstanding warrant for his arrest. The 44 year old male was charged accordingly.
On 10/17/10 at 11:57pm officers were advised that a taxi cab was chasing a vehicle that had fled the
scene of an injury accident. The accident occurred at Turk and Parker and the cab driver pursed the suspect’s vehicle to Park Presidio and Clement, where he flagged down an officer and advised him of the incident. The suspect’s vehicle had continued west on Clement Street where another patrol officer spotted it and attempted a traffic stop. The suspect fled from the officer and failed to stop at numerous stop signs. Finally on the 400 block of 38th Avenue the suspect stopped the car and tried to walk away. The suspect, a 61 year old male, was charged with hit and run, reckless driving and evading a police officer.
On 10/18/10 at 6:00pm officers were called to 33rd Avenue and Geary on a report of a fight between four
male juveniles. Officers detained two males who were walking away from the scene and then located two others inside a coffee shop on the corner. One of the juveniles in the coffee shop had a cut under his eye. Officers were told by the two in the coffee shop that the other juveniles came up to them and demanded money. One of the victims pulled out his cell phone and said he was going to call the police. The suspects became upset and came closer to the victim who then put his cell phone back in his pocket. One of the suspects pushed the victim backwards and told him to get down on his knees and apologize. The second victim came to his friend’s aid and was punched in the face by one of the suspects. The suspects, both 14 years of age, were charged with attempted robbery and assault.
NOTEWORTHY INCIDENTS
On 10/15/10 at 4:15pm a victim was on an inbound 38 Geary MUNI bus. He saw the suspects get on the
bus at Geary and Parker and they walked right over to him. One of the suspects told the victim to empty his pockets or they would jump him. The victim got up and ran off the bus with the suspects following. One of the suspects punched the victim in the face, but the victim was able to fight back and get away with all of his property. The suspects were described as males, 14-15 years of age, and both wearing black hooded sweatshirts.
On 10/15/10 at 11:30pm officers were called to the area of 30th Avenue and Fulton on a juvenile
disturbance. When they arrived they saw approximately 100 juveniles standing on the corner and more coming out from inside Golden Gate Park . The officers then encountered two male juveniles who were bleeding from injuries on their faces. The first victim said he was confronted by a group of 8 to 10 males who accused him of talking “smack”. The victim tried to walk away but was struck with some kid of stick and punched. As he went to the ground the group continued to punch and kick him. The second victim attempted to come to his friend’s aid and he was struck in the face by a baseball bat. That victim went to the ground while being punched and kicked. An ambulance was summoned and the parents were contacted. One of the victims had a broken nose and the other had lacerations on his face and head. The suspects were described as males on being 20-30 years of age, and they possibly fled the scene in a Toyota Prius.
On 10/16/10 at 2:00am the victim and three female friends were walking north on 15th Avenue from Geary. There was another group of males across the street and one of them yelled out to the females, “Hey baby, where you going?” The victim told the group to leave the girls alone and continued walking with his friends. Two of the males then chased after the victim and threw a bottle at him, striking him in the head. The two suspects then pushed him to the ground and one of them kicked the victim in the face. At this point one the females pushed the suspect away from her friend and, after she was pushed back, the suspects fled north on 15th Avenue and got into a dark 4 door sedan. The males were described as being 18-23 years of age, one wearing a white t-shirt and blue jeans, the other in a black hooded sweatshirt. The victim sustained minor injuries.
On 10/18/10 between 12:00am and 8:00am on the 3100 block of Washington Street a suspect opened an
unlocked window then reached in and took a laptop, monitor and keyboard from the desk just inside the window.
On 10/18/10 at 9:15pm a victim was walking south on 9th Avenue from Cabrillo. She observed the
suspects on the opposite side of the street and, when they crossed the street towards her, she placed her cell phone in her purse. The three suspects approached her and one of them asked where her purse and I-phone were. Another suspect pointed a hand gun in her direction. The victim dropped her purse to the ground. One suspect picked up the victim’s purse and then fled south on 9th Avenue towards Fulton . The suspects were described as males, 15-25 years of age all wearing dark clothing.