[Reprinted from The Richmond Police Station Newsletter of May 9, 2014. To be added to the station’s mailing list, email sfpd.richmond.station@sfgov.org.]
CAPTAIN SIMON SILVERMAN’S MESSAGE
As a station captain, I frequently get invited to community meetings and I find them very helpful since they give me an opportunity to meet people and learn about their concerns first hand. I’m always grateful when neighbors participate in an organized neighborhood watch group because these groups can be very effective at crime prevention.
When neighbors get to know each other they are more likely to look out for each other. People keeping an eye on things in the neighborhood are often the first to notice something suspicious. Because no one knows the area better than the people who live there, they can often be our eyes and ears and report problems to the police.
San Francisco SAFE (Safety Awareness For Everyone) is the non-profit organization that partners with the SFPD on a wide variety of crime prevention programs. They can assist neighbors in starting a neighborhood watch. For details, visit their website at http://sfsafe.org/services/neighborhood-watch/ or give them a call at 415-553-1984.
Our next Community meeting will be held on Tuesday, May 20, 2014 at 6pm. It will be in the Community Room, here at Richmond Station, 461 6th Ave.
NOTEWORTHY ARRESTS
On 05/02/14 at 10:47am, plainclothes officers were patrolling Fulton St and observed the suspect looking into the window of a parked vehicle at 47th and Fulton. The officers went to approach the suspect who then fled on foot into Golden Gate Park. Officers were able to detain him and determined that he was probation. Officers conducted a search of the male and found a hand saw, wire cutters, screw drivers and methamphetamine. The 48yr old male was charged with possession of narcotics and burglary tools.
On 04/29/14, officers had stopped a male at Divisadero and Bush St (see last week’s newsletter) who was in possession of a laptop that was later determined to be stolen. On 05/02/14, officers located the suspect on the 1700 block of Mission St and detained him. The 55 year old male was charged with burglary, possession of stolen property and a parole violation.
On 05/03/14 at 11:37pm, a hit and run accident occurred at the intersection of Masonic and Euclid. Witness provided a description and direction of the vehicle that fled. Officers who were on an unrelated call at 2nd and Anza, observed the suspect’s vehicle traveling west on Anza with front end damage, a flat tire and driving without headlights. The vehicle was stopped and the driver detained. It was determined that the suspect was driving under the influence and initial tests showed he was over twice the legal limit. The 36yr old male was charged with driving under the influence and hit and run. The other party in the accident was uninjured.
On 05/06/14, at 8:30am, a victim came into Richmond Station to report that his bike had been stolen from his apartment lobby on the 200 block of 8th Ave earlier in the morning. The victim provided a copy of surveillance video of the apartment building’s garage and lobby which showed the suspects taking his bike. The suspects were able to open the garage by unknown means and drove a Toyota mini-van inside. The suspects then went into the lobby and cut the lock on the victim’s bike. They placed the bike in the mini-van and drove out of the garage. Officers reviewed the video and were able to identify both the male and female suspect and the car they drove into the garage. On 05/07/14 officers went to the 3100 block of Geneva in Daly City where the female suspect lived. They located the suspect as she rode up to her residence on the stolen bike. A search of the premise was conducted and two others were also taken into custody on unrelated charges. There was also evidence of fraudulent credit cards and identification. The initial suspect on the theft of the bicycle, a 39yr old was charged with the burglary, possession of stolen property, burglary tools and narcotic violations. The other suspects, a 39yr old female and a 40yr old male were charged with narcotic violations and numerous fraud violations.
NOTEWORTHY INCIDENTS
On 05/03/14 at 9:15pm, the victim was walking on Clement towards 5th Ave. Two suspects approached her from behind with one grabbing her purse. The victim struggled back and forth over the purse with the suspect finally able to get control over it. The victim fell to the ground but was not injured. The suspects fled in an unknown direction. The two suspects were black males, 20-25yrs old wearing dark clothing. The victim reported this incident on 05/06/14.
On 05/07/14 at 4:15pm, the victim was walking on Lake St approaching 20th Ave. Two suspects approached him from behind with one of the suspect’s putting him in a headlock. The second suspect came to the victim’s left side and flipped open a folding knife, pointing it towards the victim. The suspects asked for the victim’s money and cell phone, but the victim had neither item. The suspects fled west on Lake St. The suspect that put the victim in a headlock was described as an Asian male, 14-15yrs wearing a black sweater. The second suspect was a white male, 14-15yrs wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and a maroon bandana covering his face.
On 05/07/14, between 11am and 7pm on the 800 block of 26th Ave, a suspect entered a home via the tradesman’s door. The suspect then accessed the kitchen door into the home and took jewelry.
Between 05/07/14, 5pm and 05/08/14, 6:30am on the 2500 block of Jackson St, a suspect forced open the garage door to a home under construction. The suspect then forced open four locked metal tool boxes and stole numerous tools.
Again, more low life get away completely undetected because we are lacking in will to plant surveillance cameras in public spaces. How unfortunate. These low life losers are now free to strike again.
Completely agree phil! Cameras in more public spaces will help deter and more importantly allow police to enforce crimes.
The resolution to the SF stolen bike in Daly City was one of the few happy endings. So glad both scumbags got charged, now hopefully the SFDA will throw the book at both. Good riddance to scumbags.