Police Blotter – August 22, 2014

[Reprinted from The Richmond Police Station Newsletter of August 22, 2014. To be added to the station’s mailing list, email sfpdrichmondstation@sfgov.org.]

CAPTAIN SIMON SILVERMAN’S MESSAGE
I am pleased to announce that two officers from Richmond Station are being promoted to sergeant next week. Officer Tom McWilliams and Officer Will Heppler have been key members of the plainclothes unit here at the station and have been responsible for many great investigations and apprehensions over the last few years. We wish them all the best and we congratulate them on their well deserved promotions!

Please also make note of a new phone scam that is making the rounds. You can get full details on the scam here. The danger to consumers is not in receiving the call, but in calling back. Scammers let the phone ring once and then hang up, prompting a missed call notification on phones. When an intended victim returns the call, police say they hear a message like “You’ve reached the operator, please hold,” while being slammed by a hefty per-minute charge on top of an international rate. Police say the calls come from phone numbers with three-digit area codes that look like they are from within the U.S., but are actually associated with international phone numbers. The area codes used by scammers include 268, 284, 473, 664, 649, 767, 809, 829, 849 and 876.

NOTEWORTHY ARRESTS & INCIDENTS
On 08/14/2014, at 5:06 pm, Officers responded to 17th and Geary regarding a male taking off his clothing in the street. Officers contacted the male and during their investigation discovered the male had a warrant for his arrest. The male was booked at county jail.

On 08/14/2014, at 2:02 am, Officers on patrol in the area of Fulton and 4th Ave. saw a vehicle complete an unsafe U-turn over double yellow lines. The officers stopped the vehicle and contacted the driver who stated he was driving his friend’s home. Officers smelled alcohol coming from the vehicle and started a DUI investigation. Subsequently the male was arrested for DUI and booked into Jail.

On 08/16/2014, at 6:20 am, Officers responded to Turk and Beaumont regarding a reported robbery. The female victim in this incident stated she was walking east on Turk St. between Beaumont and Parker when a suspect approached her from behind. The female was wearing “earbuds” and listening to music at the time. The suspect grabbed her by the arm, spinning hher around and then grabbed her Iphone. The suspect fled on foot west on Turk St. The victim refused medical attention and the investigation continues….

On 08/17/2014, at 9:12 pm, Officers on patrol in the area of Fulton and 6th Ave. saw a vehicle with expired registration tabs. They effected a traffic stop on the vehicle and contacted the driver. A computer check revealed the driver was suspended from driving due to a prior violation. The driver was cited for driving on a suspended license and also ticketed for the expired registration.

On 07/17/2014, at 1:13 am, Officers responded to Divisadero and Scott St. regarding a street robbery. On arrival they contacted a male and female who were victims in this incident. Both victims stated they were talking on the street in the 2500 block of Bush St., when they were passed by two males. As one of the males passed he asked “are you alright’” Both victims said they were “fine” and this is when the first suspect stepped between them and drew what is described as a black semi automatic handgun. The victims were told to hand over their belongings and they complied. The suspects fled the area in a silver vehicle. Neither victim was hurt during this incident…

On 08/17/2014, at 10:50 pm, Officers on patrol in the area of Funston and Geary saw a vehicle fail to stop at a posted stop sign. They conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle and contacted the driver. A computer check revealed the driver was suspended from driving due to a prior violation. The driver was cited for failing to stop and driving on a suspended license.

On 08/17/2014, at 12:19 pm, Officers responded to a reported fight in the area of 3rd Ave. and Geary. At the scene officers during their investigation completed a records check and discovered that one of the individuals had a warrant for his arrest. The arrested person was also in possession of narcotics paraphernalia. The subject was later booked for the warrant and other violations.

On 08/16/2014, at 8:58 pm, Officers responded to an “A” priority call regarding what was reported as an intoxicated person asleep at the wheel of a vehicle. On their arrival at the 400 block of Clement St. they saw a black Mercedes which was double parked. The original caller in this incident was still in the area and pointed to the double-parked Mercedes as the vehicle they had called about. The officers positioned themselves to the rear of the double parked car and contacted the driver. The driver appeared to be “dazed” and when asked why he was double parked replied with slurred speech. The officers initiated a DUI investigation and later booked the driver for DUI at the county jail.

On 08/18/2014, at 4:06 pm, an officer on foot beat patrol in the area of Geary and 18th Ave. observed an occupied vehicle parked at an expired meter. The meter was also flashing red as the officer approached the vehicle. The officer also saw that there was a disabled placard hanging from the rearview mirror of the vehicle. The officer contacted the young male occupant who told the officer he was waiting for his grandmother to return from a nearby store. The officer was also informed that the owner of the placard would return within 5 to 10 mins. The officer waited almost 40 mins but there was no “grandmother.” What the occupant failed to realize was the officer knew the placard was issued to an elderly male. The officer cited the occupant for the meter violation and placard misuse. When the officer left the area at 5:05 pm he made note that the “grandmother” had still not returned.