Police Blotter – October 12, 2012

[Reprinted from The Richmond Police Station Newsletter of October 12, 2012. To be added to the station’s mailing list, email sfpd.richmond.station@sfgov.org.]

CAPTAIN SHARON FERRIGNO’S MESSAGE
With days growing shorter and the weather growing cooler please pay attention to your surroundings and remember that drivers have difficulty seeing pedestrians in dark clothing. Take care to look before you cross the street and keep a close watch on your little ones as the trick or treat season approaches.

Last night I met with local representatives of Smile for a Lifetime Foundation. Smile for a Lifetime provides free orthodontic care for low income youth under 18 years old. Self esteem is an important part of adolescence and insuring that kids stay on track. I am delighted to announce that last night we awarded free orthodontic care to seven deserving local youths. If you know of a child that needs orthodontic care please let their parent or guardian know about Smile for a Lifetime. Board members include San Francisco Department of Public Health, San Francisco Child Protective Services, local dentists and committed community members. Applicants are selected every 6 months.

Our next Community meeting will be held on Tuesday, October 16, 2012 at 6pm. It will be in the Community Room, here at Richmond Station, 461 6th Ave. (NOTE TIME CHANGE) Dave Valle-Schwenk, from MTA’s Livable Streets team along with Supervisor Eric Mar will discuss improvements in the Richmond district.

NOTEWORTHY ARRESTS
On 10/06/12, officers were assigned to Hardly Strictly Bluegrass and in the area of the bike racks. They observed the suspect walking back and forth along the path looking at the bikes. The officers detained the suspect who admitted that he was there to “steal a bike” and when the officers searched him, they located bolt cutters in his fanny pack. The 55 year old male, who also had an outstanding warrant, was charged with being in possession of burglar tools.

On 10/07/12 at 5:25pm, plainclothes officers were in the area of Middle Drive West and Transverse Drive in Golden Gate Park . The observed the first suspect walking along the curb line, looking into window of parked vehicles. He would look side to side and over his shoulder to see if he was being observed. He was then met up with two other males, and all three of them began looking into windows and trying door handles to see if the vehicles were unlocked. The officers followed them for sometime and eventually the three males headed towards the main venue area for Hardly Strictly Bluegrass. The officers detained the males prior to them blending in with the crowd and identified them. One of the males, a 20 year old had a warrant for his arrest. The other two were identified and released.

On 10/10/12 at 9:45am, plainclothes officers were in the area of Chain of Lakes Drive in Golden Gate Park , when they observed the suspect riding a bike. The officers were familiar with the suspect from prior arrests and knew that he had a parole warrant. The officers exited their vehicle and instructed the suspect to stop and get off of his bike. The suspect began to peddle away and the officers pursued him on foot. They caught up with him and pulled him off of the bike. The officers located a silver tube attached to his wrist and inside they located methamphetamine. Attached to the bike was a homemade weapon consisting of a long dart attached to a black handle. The suspect, a 41 year old male was charged with narcotic and weapon violations as well as the parole warrant.

On 10/11/12 at 11:24am, the suspect walked into a bank on the 2800 block of Geary Blvd and told the teller that “this is a robbery, give me all of the money.” He put his hand under the glass opening at the window indicating to hand him the money. The teller pressed the alarm and backed away from the counter. The suspect then fled the bank and was taken into custody by responding officers a short distance away. The 52 year old male, who is on Federal Probation for a prior bank robbery was charged accordingly.

NOTEWORTHY INCIDENTS
Between 10/05/12 10:30pm and 10/06/12, 6am on the unit block of Raycliff Terrace, a suspect gained entry into a garage and took a bicycle. There were no signs of forced entry.

On 10/06/12 at 1:50pm, the victim was standing on the 4700 block of Geary, when a red vehicle pulled up and double parked in front of him. One of the suspects exited the vehicle, approached the victim and asked for directions. When the victim turned to point out the right way, the suspect grabbed the phone from his hand and ran back to the car. The victim ran to the vehicle and tried to retrieve the phone through the open passenger window and the suspect punched him in the face. The suspects then fled east on Geary Blvd. The suspect was described as a black male, 19-20 years of age, wearing a short sleeved blue shirt with writing on the back. The driver and rear passenger were also black males.

On 10/07/12, between 10:50am and 10pm on the 200 block of 9th Ave , a bike was taken from the lobby of an apartment building. The front door may have been left unlocked.

On 10/08/12 at 12:06am, a security guard at 850 La Playa confronted a shoplifter in the parking lot of the grocery store. He asked the suspect if he had a receipt for the items, but was ignored by the suspect. He again asked the suspect for the receipt and told him to return to the store. The suspect then punched the victim at least four times in the head with his fist and then several other times with a flashlight. The suspect fled east on Fulton from La Playa and was described as a black male, 30-40 years wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt, dark pants and shoes. The victim was transported to a local hospital for treatment.

On 10/08/12 between 3:35pm and 6:10pm, the victims had left their backpack unattended inside the front entrance way of their school on the 3100 block of Washington St . When they returned the backpacks containing their laptops and iPads were missing.

On 10/09/12 at 4:30am, officers responded to an alarm call on the 7000 block of Geary Bl. When they arrived they saw that the window near the front door had been smashed in by a piece of concrete from a utility cover. The officers conducted a walk-thru of the premise, but the suspect was gone. When the owner arrived it was determined that the register tray along with cash had been taken.

Between 10/09/12, 7pm and 10/10/12, 5am on the 200 block of 15th Ave , a suspect took 2 bikes and a tool box from a garage. There were no signs of forced entry.

On 10/11/12, between 9:30am and 7pm on the 2700 block of Lake St , a suspect gained entry into a detached garage thru an unlocked side door. The suspect then disconnected the manual garage opener, took a set a golf clubs and exited back out the side door.

On 10/11/12 at 8:20pm, the victim was sitting at a MUNI bus shelter on Park Presidio and Geary. She was holding her phone with both hands, listening to music with ear phones in her ears. The suspect approached and snatched the phone from her hands and fled south on Park Presidio towards Anza. The suspect was described as a black male, 20-25 yrs, wearing a black and orange Giants jacket, black baseball cap and baggy blue jeans.

On 10/11/12 at 10:50pm, the victim was walking towards her house on the 200 block of Euclid Ave. She and the suspect, who was walking from the opposite direction, passed her as she neared her front door. She began to feel uncomfortable and walked faster and when she looked behind her, she saw that the suspect had turned around and was now coming towards her. She reached her front door with keys in hand and the suspect came from behind her and told her to give up her bag. The suspect had his hand in his pocket as if simulating a weapon and the victim handed over her purse. The victim began to open the front door to her building and began to scream, the suspect then fled west on Euclid . He was described as an Asian male, 18-19 years, wearing a green and gray hooded puffy ski jacket.