[Reprinted from The Richmond Police Station Newsletter of March 20, 2014. To be added to the station’s mailing list, email sfpd.richmond.station@sfgov.org.]
CAPTAIN SIMON SILVERMAN’S MESSAGE
Each week we write about crime trends and include examples of recent crimes hoping that this will help people to understand and lessen their risk of becoming a crime victim. One of the problems with publishing a newsletter that talks about crime all the time is that it can create the impression that the crime rate is rising. In fact, overall crime is actually down year to date. I’m unwilling to tolerate any level of crime. One crime is one crime too many, but I can at least report that crime rates are headed in the right direction.
Overall crime rates have decreased in the first part of 2014 when compared to the first part of 2013. This decrease is true citywide and is slightly greater for the Richmond District than for the City as a whole. Total violent crime is down 21% in the Richmond (17% citywide) while property crime is down 11% in the Richmond (6% citywide). Bearing that in mind, here is this week’s crime recap.
Our next Community meeting will be held on Tuesday, April 15, 2014 at 6pm. It will be in the Community Room, here at Richmond Station, 461 6th Ave.
NOTEWORTHY ARRESTS
On 03/15/14 at 1:30pm, officers responded to a call of a male breaking into a Zip Car on the 300 block of 7th Ave. The caller stated that he saw the male take items from the vehicle and provided a description of the suspect. While officers were searching for the suspect, another male came running up to an officer yelling that a male had just broken into his vehicle that was parked on Clement near 6th Ave. This male pointed out the suspect who was standing across the street who also matched the suspect from 7th Ave. The suspect saw the patrol vehicle and took off running east on Clement to 5th Ave. When the officer turned the corner, the suspect went back north on 5th and ducked into a market. Numerous citizens pointed out the suspect’s whereabouts and when the officer came back to the corner, the suspect fled the market and ran west on Clement to north on 6th Ave, where he was detained by the officers. The male that had his car parked on Clement near 6th told the officer that he was sitting in his vehicle when the indicator light came on that his rear lift gate was open. When he went around to the back of his car, he saw the suspect standing there removing items from the back. That is when he began to chase the suspect and saw the officer. The suspect, a 39yr old male, was charged with the theft and possession of stolen property.
On 03/16/14 at 6:10pm, at 34th and Fulton, officers stopped to talk to a bicyclist that had committed a moving violation. The bicyclist took off at a high rate of speed and entered Golden Gate Park on a dirt pathway. One officer pursued on foot as the suspect headed towards Spreckels Lake while the other drove into the park. The officer in the vehicle saw the bicyclist now on the access road near the dog park where he dumped the bike and headed into the dense brush. Several other officers arrived and they located the male burrowed underneath some dense foliage. The male was detained and it was determined that he had a warrant out for his arrest. The 44yr old male was charged with the warrant.
On 03/16/14 at 8:30pm, officers were called to 2nd and Balboa on a report of citizens detaining two auto burglary suspects. When officers arrived, they took custody of the two males and where told the following. The upstairs neighbor was on the back steps and could see that his neighbor’s vehicle had its parking lights flashing. He ran downstairs to alert his neighbor and when they looked outside they could see two males in the vehicle. They both ran outside and detained the two, one of whom was still inside the car. When the officers arrived on scene the upstairs neighbor looked at some of the property that was now lying on the back-seat of his neighbor’s car and realized that some of the items had come from his vehicle. He then went to his cars and saw that both of them had been broken into. The two suspects, one who was 18, the other 15, where charged with the auto burglary, possession of stolen property and possession of burglary tools.
On 03/20/14 at 5:20am, officers responded to a call of a male trying to break into a garage on the 2000 block of Post St. The caller provided a description of the suspect and officers located the male on Sutter St. When the male was approached by the officer he said, “I was just trying to get into the garage to get my car.” The male however said that he did not live there and was also holding onto a wrench and chisel when stopped by the officer. The suspect was also in possession of a fraudulent credit card that had the name of a woman who had been a victim of a theft. The 31yr old male was charged with attempted burglary, possession of burglary tools and a fraudulent card.
NOTEWORTHY INCIDENTS
On 03/14/14 between 8:15pm and 8:40pm on the 300 block of Walnut, a resident forgot to close their garage door and two bikes were taken.
Between 03/15/14, 8pm and 03/16/14, 6:25am on the 600 block of Arguello, a suspect attempted to enter the main door to an apartment building by using a tool, possibly a wrench. There was damage to the door and door lock, but entry was not made.
Between 03/15/14, 11:30pm and 03/16/14, 10:15am on the 100 block of Balboa, a suspect attempted to enter the main door to an apartment building by using a tool, possibly a wrench. There was damage to the door and door lock, but entry was not made.