[Reprinted from The Richmond Police Station Newsletter of September 27, 2013. To be added to the station’s mailing list, email sfpd.richmond.station@sfgov.org.]
CAPTAIN SHARON FERRIGNO’S MESSAGE
This week we are featuring a video of the recovered property found after officers and investigators from Richmond Station completed an in-depth investigation resulting in the arrest of several burglars that have been plaguing our city. Please take a moment to view the list if you have been a victim. I attended a great luncheon with local merchants this week and it was great to visit and share the vision of our district.
San Francisco police are alerting the public to a telephone scam involving the demand for payment for what are presented as overdue loan debts, and a telephone scam involving payment for traffic tickets supposedly issued by the San Francisco Police Department. In these calls, often the caller ID is that of the SFPD, showing a legitimate police department number.
In the unpaid loan scam, the caller identifies himself as a police officer, stating that he is acting on behalf of “Mark Rothman & Associates.” To prevent criminal proceedings or a bench warrant being issued, the caller demands an “interim payment.” The caller instructs the victim to purchase a $500 Green Dot MoneyPak or Vanilla Gift card or similar cash-load card as payment and to call a specific number once this is done. Once the victim has purchased the card and called the number, the victim is instructed to give the card information, and a phony proof-of-payment e-mail is sent. Once that information is given, all the money on the card is fraudulently used.
In the unpaid traffic ticket scam, the caller claims to be from the San Francisco Police Department and may even fraudulently use the name of an actual San Francisco police officer. The caller states that there is money due, $154 or more, on unpaid traffic tickets and that a bench warrant will be issued unless payment is received. Payment is demanded through a similar cash-load card process and, again, the money on the card is used.
These fraudulent contacts may also be done through e-mail or pre-recorded calls. As a matter of policy, the police department never contacts citizens for payment under any circumstances, including for outstanding traffic citations or for any civil debt.
Citizens are urged not to comply with such requests, and to report such calls to the police. Green Dot MoneyPak cards and similar cash-load cards have recently been the focus of scam artists throughout the country. Citizens should never provide the card number and security clearance codes to a caller or in response to an e-mail.
NOTEWORTHY ARRESTS
On 09/22/2013, at 7:15 pm, officers from our plain clothes unit were operating in the area of 2500 Sutter St. in an effort to eradicate the armed robberies which have occurred in the general area over the past few weeks. The increase in the robberies was of great concern to Captain Ferrigno, the officers and citizens of the Richmond district. The plain clothes officers Jones and McWilliams observed a person of interest on the sidewalk and contacted the individual. The officers recognized the individual and knew he had an active warrant for his arrest. The officers were assisted by Sgt. A. Cox who and they charged the subject with multiple armed robberies which have occurred recently. The suspect is also suspected in a number of other crimes. The subject was transported to County Jail for booking.
06/26/2013, at 6:13 pm Richmond Plain clothes officers working as part of the (F.R.E.T) Fugitive Recovery Enforcement Team contacted a subject with a current warrant for his arrest. The subject was located in the area of 4th and Fulton St. The violator was arrested without incident and transported to County Jail for booking.
06/26/2013, at 3:09 pm Richmond Plain clothes officers working as part of the (F.R.E.T) Fugitive Recovery Enforcement Team responded to the area of Leavenworth St and Eddy St. to locate a subject with a current warrant for his arrest. The subject was located in the area and was arrested without incident then transported to County Jail for booking.
06/26/2013, at 5:34 pm Richmond Plain clothes officers working as part of the (F.R.E.T) Fugitive Recovery Enforcement Team while in the area of Mason St. and Eddy St. observed a subject commit a municipal code violation. The subject was identified and discovered to have a search condition imposed due to a previous conviction. The subject was searched and found to be in possession of suspected morphine. The subject was arrested without incident on the violations and then transported to County Jail for booking.
On 09/23/2013, at 5:57 am, officers were on patrol in the area of 4th and Balboa St., an area which is known to Richmond officers for auto burglaries and other related issues. They contacted a male who identified himself to officers and was discovered to have felony and infraction warrants for his arrest.
The subject was arrested without incident on the warrants and then transported to County Jail for booking.
NOTEWORTHY INCIDENTS
On 09/26/2013, at 2:44 am Officers responded to a report of a robbery which occurred in the area of Geary and 20th Ave. While speaking with the victim in this incident officer discovered that the incident had occurred at 1:40 am and both the suspects had fled the area. There were no injuries in this incident.
In reference to this previously posted item:
“On 09/19/2013 Richmond Station personnel responded to an address in the tenderloin which was revealed during the course of an ongoing investigation. At the address indicated officers were able to contact 3 people regarding this investigation. They were able to recover and remove over 100 items from the location. These items included bicycles, cameras, musical instruments etc… As a result of this investigation Richmond Station officers were able to arrest and charge these 3 individuals with multiple felonies.”
We are now able to show members of the public photographs to review. If you recognize one of the recovered items please contact the (SIT Team) at Richmond Station. You can call and reference the SFPD Case Number related to this incident, # 130-761-631.
NERT TRAINING
The San Francisco Neighborhood Emergency Response Team (NERT) is free training from the San Francisco Fire Department in how to help yourself and your neighbors prepare for and respond to a disaster by working together. The 20-hour training taught by First Responders includes personal preparedness, light search and rescue, disaster medicine, shutting off your utilities, and how to participate as a member of a neighborhood response team. NERT also offers continuing training for graduates and activities that support building robust neighborhood teams. For more information, visit the NERT website at http://sfgov.org/sffdnert, or contact Lt. Erica Arteseros at (415)970-2022 or sffdnert@sfgov.org. Register on Eventbrite or call (415)970-2024
So what happens to these people? They just go into prison, get booked with a court date, and come right out again, just to commit more crimes? Or are they held for a long time, as they should be?
Good job officers! I love the fact they are in plain clothes, it definitely doesn’t allow these crooks to avoid 5-0 so easily. SF has been under a huge theft and burglary spree, hopefully the work lately will deter a lot of that going forward. Keep up the great work!