[Reprinted from The Richmond Police Station Newsletter of February 1, 2013. To be added to the station’s mailing list, email sfpd.richmond.station@sfgov.org.]
CAPTAIN SHARON FERRIGNO’S MESSAGE
Greetings! We are gearing up for what is hopefully a Forty-Niner Superbowl win. To make sure this is a safe and happy celebration we are asking everyone to be responsible celebrants. If you live along Geary between Arguello and 25th Ave, and you have a Monday trash pickup, we ask that you wait until Monday morning to put out your garbage. While the playoff game went very smoothly we do not want to attract vandals by leaving anything out that can be used to start fires.
Master Tat Wong of Clement Street hosted the 15th Lunar New Year public safety campaign. Please make sure to watch out for our elders as there are those people who will target them during the Chinese New Year celebration.
We have attached 3 PDF’s to this week’s newsletter for NERT training and information regarding a senior shopping shuttle. Please take time to peruse if these items are of interest to you.
Our next Community meeting will be held on Tuesday, February 19, 2013 at 6pm. It will be in the Community Room, here at Richmond Station, 461 6th Ave. (NOTE TIME CHANGE)
NOTEWORTHY ARRESTS
On 01/27/13 at 6:40am, the victim parked her vehicle on the 400 block of Cherry. She went inside the hospital and realized she had left her purse in the car and returned to her vehicle. She saw three males walking away from her vehicle, which now had a broken window, and saw that one of the suspects was holding her purse. She started chasing after them and ran into a co-worker and told him what happened. The co-worker followed the suspects in his vehicle while calling 911. He provided a description and direction of the suspects and told dispatch that they had just entered a restaurant on the 3300 block of Geary. Officers arrived and detained the suspects as they were exiting the restaurant. One of the suspects tried to flee from the officers but was caught on the unit block of Beaumont. Officers walked the path the suspects had taken from Cherry and located the victim’s property. The three males, two 20yrs and one 18, were charged with auto burglary, possession of stolen property and narcotic violations.
NOTEWORTHY INCIDENTS
On 01/24/13 at 11:45am, officers responded to a report of a burglary on the 700 block of 3rd Ave. The neighbor reported that the victim’s dog was now in the back yard and a side door had been forced open. Officers conducted a search of the premise and the suspect was gone. With further investigation by the officers they were able to determine that the suspect was a black male, 25-35 yrs, wearing an orange construction vest and was heavy set. The loss was three laptops and cash.
Between 01/24/13, 10pm and 01/25/13, 5:30am on the 3400 block of Anza, a suspect entered a garage and took tools and a spare key to a car parked inside the garage. The suspect also took the vehicle.
On 01/25/13 at 12:42am, the victim was walking on the 2900 block of Geary when the suspect approached him from behind and wrapped his arms around the victim. The suspect then reached into the victims pant pocket and took his wallet. The suspect then fled south on Collins Ave. The suspect was described as a black male, 25-30yrs, wearing a navy blue hooded sweatshirt and black pants.
On 01/25/13 at 2pm, the suspect entered a business on the 300 block of Arguello and told the employee that he was looking for a dress for his girlfriend. When the clerk became distracted, the suspect took the laptop from the counter and ran out the front door. The suspect was seen entering a silver sedan that was parked in front.
On 01/25/13 at 2:25pm, the victim had just left school at 32nd and Anza and was walking west on Anza to 33rd Ave where his dad was parked waiting for him. The victim was looking at his phone and as he got mid-block he was approached by 3 black male juveniles and they asked him if he was in a gang. The victim said no and tried to keep walking. One of the suspects asked the victim what he had in his hand, the victim, knowing that the suspect was referring to his phone said, and “Come on guys.” The suspect then claimed to have a gun and the victim handed over his phone. The suspects ran off and the victim got to his dads car and told him what happened. The dad and son searched the area and found 2 of the suspects at 34th and Balboa. The dad confronted the two suspects and they said they did not have the phone. The son had started tracking his phone from his dad’s phone and located it on Fulton and 20th Ave. The father and son left the first two suspects and drove to the area and found the suspect. The father confronted the suspect who said he did not have the phone but knew who did and would direct them. The suspect got into the car with them. The son, still tracking the phone discovered the phone was in the car and he told his dad that this suspect was still in possession of his phone. When the dad stopped the car at 17th and Balboa, the suspect ran off, but dropped the phone. The suspect with the phone was described as being 16-17 years, with braids and a gray zip-up sweatshirt.
Between 01/25/13, 11:45pm and 01/26/13, 9am on the 6000 block of California, a suspect entered a business on the 22nd Ave side by shattering the glass front door. The suspect took cash from the register of two connected businesses.
On 01/26/13 at 11:20am, the victim was at Fulton and 10th Ave waiting for a bus. He had his phone out briefly and put it back in his pocket. He noticed the first suspect walk across Fulton and come to the bus stop, and shortly thereafter a second suspect walked over. The two briefly conversed and then confronted the victim, telling him to give up his phone. The victim turned his phone over to them and they ran into Golden Gate Park. The suspects were described as two black males, 23-25 years of age, one wearing a dark blue rain coat, the other a dark jacket and beanie.
Between 01/27/13, 5:30pm and 01/28/13, 6am on the 600 block of 6th Ave, a suspect(s) gained entry into a garage by unknown means. The suspect(s) then took the spare keys that were hanging nearby and stole both vehicles parked inside.
Between 01/27/13, 5pm and 01/28/13, 7am on the 100 block of 6th Ave, a suspect smashed a hole in the front window of a business. They reached in and took jewelry that was on display just inside.
On 01/28/13 at 12:40am, the victim had just opened the garage door with his remote and pulled into the multi unit garage on the 300 block of Euclid. Prior to the door closing, the two suspects ran in and one, who was armed with a handgun, demanded the victim’s belonging. The victim complied and the suspects ran out to an awaiting vehicle and fled east on Euclid. The suspects were described as two black males, 20-25 years, one with long dreadlocks and a white t-shirt, the other with a gray hooded sweatshirt with a black jacket on top.
On 01/30/13, between 3pm and 5:15pm on the 700 block of 33rd Ave, a suspect entered a residence through an unlocked kitchen window. The suspect then took a laptop, guitar and a game system.
On 01/31/13 at 8:35pm, the victims had just parked their vehicle on the 2700 block of Balboa. They noticed that a black SUV pulled just past them, doubled parked and stopped. Two suspects exited the vehicle, went to the driver’s side and passenger side doors opened them, punched the victims in the face and took a cell phone and cash from the victims. The suspects fled south on 28th Ave. The suspects were described as black males, 35-40 years with scarves covering their faces. The victims sustained minor injuries.
I just read a few of these police blotters in a row and the only trend I can see is that we have to be aware of black males in the Richmond District who are wearing sweatshirts. Helpful.
@thayer: Well, more detail would be nice, but this info is better than no info. Most people who have lived in the Richmond for more than a few years know that this trend is new here. It’s not that crimes with guns never happened, but they were relatively rare. Unfortunately, they are not rare anymore, as you can see by the police blotter. It is what it is: Black males, mostly between 16 and 30 years old, seem to be committing these crimes more than other groups here. Such an observation is not racists, it is what it is. If the majority of stong-arm robberies were being committed by blonde girls between 14 and 19 years old, that should be noted too. Physical descriptions are an important aspect of criminal cases. If the criminals were wearing 3-piece suits and fedora hats, we would want to know that too.
Be aware of your surroundings. Try not to blab on your phone. Don’t have earbuds in. Head on a swivel.
Notice that these things are happening during the day, too.
BigHeart is right. Just beware of your surroundings in general. The police blog is general crime however crime can happen from any racial background. If you have seen crime in the TL there are a fair number of caucasian males. In general just be aware anytime there are individuals that are coming towards you or behind you. And be aware anytime there are any cars that are driving too close to you or following you. I still remember the prior blog of this woman that had to fight away from these two black males who tried to kidnap her into their SUV.
What’s surprising is the increasing number of daytime crimes, which appears to indicate that perps don’t fear apprehension. So, here’s another plea for surveillance cameras. If we had appropriately placed surveillance cameras, we most probably would have had some of these people on camera, as well as the license plate # of some of the vehicles used for crime. We continue to let crime escalate here, with only fair probability of apprehending perps (in spite of otherwise excellent work by our police, to apprehend some offenders) – or we can be more proactive in the placement of surveillance tools at bus stops and traffic poles at regular intervals, on major thoroughfares.
Also, it’s obvious that a lot of crime originates near GG Park, with perps descending from the park to nearby neighborhoods to do their dirty work.
Last, the police are already understaffed, and overburdened, but with current trends what they are, if manpower permits, it might be helpful to place stings and pseudo-victim traps on the street. Maybe have undercover officers walk the street in plain clothes, early in the morning, followed by an unmarked car. Or, have a police officer (undercover) walk with a phone in hand – or, set up a decoy car with stuff on the seat.
We need to find a way to draw out and identify these scum, and get them off our streets! Let them know that if they come into the Richmond, they are going to get caught.
Is there a Neighborhood Watch in effect throughout the Richmond? I don’t think I’ve seen any oisters or window decals to that effect. Maybe it’s time we did this?
*** The father and son left the first two suspects and drove to the area and found the suspect. The father confronted the suspect who said he did not have the phone but knew who did and would direct them. The suspect got into the car with them. The son, still tracking the phone discovered the phone was in the car and he told his dad that this suspect was still in possession of his phone. When the dad stopped the car at 17th and Balboa, the suspect ran off, but dropped the phone. ***
They let the suspect get into the car with them???!!! Are they insane??? What if the guy had had a gun?? Why didn’t they just follow him, and call the police, like one of the other victims did? I’m thankful everyone is OK. Such stupidity is mind-boggling!
Good comments, Phil. People do get squeamish at the mention of “surveilance,” but sometimes tradeoffs are necessary. I’m with you: let’s not let the Richmond get a reputation as easy pickin’s for criminals . To GG’s comment: I can’t imagine anyone letting someone who has already committed a crime get into a car with him and his kid. Seems so naive, sadly. Would be nice to live in a place where one could be more trusting of others, but that’s not where we live.