[Reprinted from The Richmond Police Station Newsletter of September 26, 2014. To be added to the station’s mailing list, email sfpdrichmondstation@sfgov.org.]
CAPTAIN SIMON SILVERMAN’S MESSAGE
We are continuing to get reports in the Richmond and Citywide about a scam involving people pretending to be IRS Agents. In this scam, the victim receives a call from a person who says he is an IRS agent calling because the victim he owes money to the IRS. The caller threatens that if the victim doesn’t pay immediately, the IRS will send the police to arrest the victim.
The fake IRS agent usually has a great deal of information about the victim including their address. They will demand that the victim purchase money cards(usually Green Dot brand), and tell the victim to call them back with the numbers from the cards. At this point, they will cash out the cards remotely and the victim’s money is gone forever. The fake IRS agent can be quite persistent and aggressive on the phone. The number they are calling from may appear to be a legitimate IRS number on caller ID, but that is because they are using software to hide their actual number. If the victim calls back, they make even get a voice mail system that seems to be for an IRS office. It is also fake. Many of the suspects have heavy foreign accents.
This is always a scam. The IRS does not demand immediate payment over the phone using cash cards. The SFPD does not arrest people for the IRS. If you get a call like this, just hang up and ignore the caller if they call back. They may be angry or persuasive, but the fact is they are almost certainly far, far away and will quickly move on to the next victim if you don’t cooperate. We have never heard of a case where the suspect actually showed up and confronted the victim.
NOTEWORTHY ARRESTS & INCIDENTS
On 09/16/2014, at 12:14 pm, Officers responded to the area of Mountain Lake Park regarding a report of a male who may have attempted suicide. The male in this instance was said to have slashed his wrist and was sitting at a stairwell bleeding badly. Multiple Richmond and U.S. Park Police units responded to the call along with San Francisco Fire Department medical personnel. The officers saturated the area but were initially unable to find the male. All personnel involved in this incident started a systematic search of the area, eventually locating the male at 8th Ave and Lake Street. Medical aid was rendered immediately and the male was then transported to San Francisco General Hospital for further medical treatment and evaluation. During this incident it was discovered that the male was in the system as missing from a mental health facility.
On 09/18/2014, at 6:25 pm, Officers on patrol in the area of the “Chess Tables” observed a male lying on the ground and appeared to be pale and sweating profusely. The officer contacted the male to offer medical attention which was declined. The officer discovered that the male had an outstanding warrant for his arrest. The male was booked into jail without further incident.
On 09/19/2014, at 1:02 am, Officers responded to a report of a male breaking into vehicles in the area of the 200 block of 18th Ave. The caller in this instance was able to provide an accurate description of the suspect she saw breaking into a vehicle in the area. The witness immediately called the police who responded and saturated the area. They were able to positively identify the suspect and later booked him for auto burglary.
On 09/19/2014, at 1:10 pm, Officers responded to a report of a possible explosive device on a Muni coach at the corner of 6th Ave and Balboa St. The muni driver followed the Muni protocols which are in place regarding a call of this nature. The officers contacted the initial caller who directed them to a person who had claimed to be carrying a device. The officers were able to see into the open bag and were immediately able to determine that was no merit to explosives in the bag. The officers spoke to the male who claimed to have the explosives. He said prior to getting on the bus an unknown female had stepped on his bag and he told her not to. The unknown female asked what was in his bag to which he replied “I have a bomb.” When asked why he would make a statement like this the male said because it was a stupid question. The was no merit to this incident and there were no injuries. The male was cited for the violation.
On 09/19/2014, at 6:45 pm, Officers on patrol in the area of Geary and 25th Ave. saw a vehicle with no license plates. The officers conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle and contacted the driver. It was discovered during their investigation that the driver was suspended from driving. The driver was cited for the above violations at the scene.
On 09/21/2014 at 11:33 am, Officers on patrol in the area of Geary and 17th Ave. saw a vehicle run a red-light at the intersection. The officers contacted the driver regarding the violation and during the contact discovered that the male was driving on a suspended license. The male was cited for multiple violations at the scene.
On 09/22/2014, at 6:57 am, Officers responded to the 200 block of 14th Ave. regarding a public decency complaint. The caller in this instance was reporting that two adults were naked and in a dumpster having intimate relations, while also smoking in a dumpster full of flammables. As the officers were making contact the male turned and the officers saw narcotics paraphernalia in the males possession. As the officers continued their investigation they were able to recover a large quantity of methamphetamine along with other items. The male was booked on multiple violations and a probation violation.
On 09/22/2014, at 3:57 pm, officers responded to a reported assault at a business premise on Clement St. On arrival at the scene the officers contacted the victim who stated she was struck on the head and had her hair pulled by a family member who goes to the business for free food. The suspect in this incident was known to enter the kitchen and cook food for himself without asking for permission on prior occasions. The business owner told the suspect that he was welcome to sit and eat but that he was not to enter the kitchen and should have the regular chef cook for him. On this occasion the suspect became enraged and assaulted the business owner, afterwards fleeing the scene. An ambulance arrived on the scene and the victim declined any medical aid. The investigation continues….
On 09/22/2014, at 4:56 pm, Officers on traffic enforcement patrol in the area of Jackson St and Arguello observed a silver dodge commit a vehicle code violation. The officers stopped the vehicle and contacted the driver who told them “I don’t have a driver’s license.” The officers cited the driver for multiple violations.
On 09/24/2014, at 5:05 pm, Officers responded to the area of 11th and Geary regarding a report of a male brandishing a knife. When officers arrived at the location they were unable to see anyone in the area and so got out on foot to continue their search. The officers discovered a male lying on the ground passed out due to an unknown reason. The officers did discover a knife which they removed from the male prior to waking him up. The male was discovered to have multiple warrants for his arrest and was subsequently booked at the county jail.
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We are still suffering from vehicle break-ins along Fulton St. and around the Sutro Baths – Point Lobos Areas. We are actively addressing the vehicle break-ins that occur but we also need the assistance of the general public in this endeavor.
We would ask you to follow these general guidelines.
- You should lock doors and windows, even if the car’s in front of your home.
Remove valuables from your automobile.
Remove ‘pull-out’ style radio face plates (if equipped).
Park in well lit areas when possible.
Park where your car will be easily & frequently viewed (natural surveillance).
Park in your garage if you have one.
Use a car alarm, it will alert anyone nearby.
Never leave your car running or the keys in the ignition when you’re away from it, even for a short time.
Use anti-theft devices like “The Club” or an alarm system. You may get a discount on your auto insurance.
You should never leave portable electronic devices such as smart phones and GPS navigation systems in a vehicle.
The San Francisco Police Department remains committed to the reduction and prevention of vehicle thefts and auto burglaries, and to the prosecution of those that steal vehicles. We hope the information provided will help the members of our community.
“The San Francisco Police Department remains committed to the reduction and prevention of vehicle thefts and auto burglaries, and to the prosecution of those that steal vehicles. ”
Glad you mentioned that. Thank you very much… That is your job!!!
Re the bomb threat hoax:
The blurb says the man was cited “for the violation”. He was an idiot and all that for saying he had a bomb, but can someone please explain what he was cited for?