Police Blotter – April 10, 2015

SFPD Richmond District Police Station
Weekly Update 04-10-2015
From Captain Simon Silverman

NEXT COMMUNITY MEETING:
Tuesday 04-21-2015 @ 7:00 PM
Richmond Station Community Room
461 6th Ave.

JOIN THE SFPD:
If reading the weekly newsletter inspires you to get out there and help your community, then maybe a career as a San Francisco Police Officer is for you. We are recruiting motivated people who want to make a difference. You can find out more at www.sfpdcareers.com.

OUR NEW PAL SANDLOT PROGRAM:
Each Wednesday from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM officers from Richmond Station will be at Rochambeau Playground (25th & Lake) for pick-up games with local kids (middle and elementary school age). This week we played kickball and dodge ball, but we have basketballs, soccer balls and all kinds of baseball/T-ball gear as well. It’s an informal, drop in program, so bring the kids by and say hello! Thanks to SF PAL for setting this up and to Rec & Park for getting us the playground.

Here are some of the 852 incidents handled by Richmond Station this week:

DEATH INVESTIGATION
4th Ave & Lake
03-31-2015 to 04-04-2015
SFPD officers responded to a single family home on a report of a dead body inside. They met with the occupant who told them that her elderly bed ridden mother had died five years ago and the remains were still in the house. There was so much trash packed into the home that it took specialized crews with protective equipment several days to find and remove the body. In the meantime, the occupant was transported to a hospital for treatment and is now living in a supportive care environment elsewhere. Her dog was taken to Animal Care and Control for safekeeping. Police activity at the scene has concluded and there are no ongoing crime related safety concerns.

At the very earliest stages of this incident, the SFPD brought in the Department of Public Health to address the potential health hazards created by the conditions in the home. DPH and the City Attorney’s Office are continuing to work on health concerns, code violations and other legal issues involving this address.

VEHICLE STOLEN FROM A GARAGE
Clay & Spruce
03-31-2015 to 04-09-2015
The resident went on vacation and left his car parked in his locked garage with the keys in the car. When he returned, he found that someone had taken his car from the garage.
Captain’s Note: It’s never a good idea to leave your keys in the car, even in the garage.

INJURY TRAFFIC COLLISION
Fulton & 8th Ave
04-02-2015 6:09 AM
Fulton & 8th Ave
A Toyota was heading east on Fulton when the driver ran a red light and struck a bicycle that was going south on 8th Ave. The cyclist sustained moderate injuries and the driver was cited at the scene.

ARREST: ATTEMPTED BURGLARY / POSSESSION OF BURGLARY TOOLS
Clement & 44th Ave
04-04-2015 1:57 AM
A resident called 911 when she saw two people trying to break through the front gate of her apartment building. One was acting as lookout while the other pried the metal gate with a crowbar. Officers arrived and caught the suspects who were in possession of: a crowbar, bolt cutters, a hacksaw, a file, two wrenches and four screwdrivers. Both suspects have previously been arrested for burglary and are currently on probation.
Captain’s Note: The tools carried by these suspects are obviously lawful to possess for legitimate use. However, the way in which the tools were used and the purpose for which they were carried meets the elements of the crime of possession of burglary tools.

ARREST: AGGRAVATED ASSAULT / ELDER ABUSE
Lake & 16th Ave
04-05-2015 12:20 AM
A woman was arrested for assaulting her adult sister and their 91 year old mother in their home. The mother sustained significant injuries including broken bones.

ARREST: CHILD ENDANGERMENT / PUBLIC INTOXICATION
Point Lobos & Merrie Way
04-06-2015 7:40 PM
A woman called to report that her ex-husband was out with their three year old son and was intoxicated. A sergeant from the U.S Park Police found the father and son and saw that the father was so intoxicated that he could not care for himself or for the child. SFPD officers arrested the father and returned the child to his mother unharmed.
Captain’s Note: The U.S. Park Police patrol the Golden Gate National Recreation Area and we regularly work with them on problems that occur near our respective geographic boundaries. See below for another example where they captured a suspect for us.

ARREST: PUBLIC INTOXICATION
Anza & 11th Ave
04-07-2015 3:35 AM
A resident called 911 to report that a stranger was ringing his doorbell, yelling and refusing to leave. Officers found the intoxicated man staggering down the street and shouting, “I’m an American! F*** You! I love you!”

BANK ROBBERY
Balboa & 38th Ave
04-07-2015 12:25 PM
The suspect threatened a bank teller with a knife and demanded money. There were no injuries. The same person is suspected in at least two other recent robberies elsewhere in San Francisco.
Suspect: Black male, 40-45 years old, 6’2” muscular build, goatee
Vehicle: Gold four door sedan

ARREST: VANDALISM TO A VEHICLE / ASSAULT WITH A DEADLY WEAPON / WEAPONS POSSESSION
Pacific & Jackson
04-07-2015 9:20 PM
As the residents pulled into their driveway, the suspect was standing in front of the garage. He claimed that they owed him money; however they do not know him. He produced a hammer that was concealed in his sleeve and smashed the car’s mirror and door as the terrified occupants (including children) huddled inside. He then ran off. US Park Police Officers assisted in the search and located him inside the Presidio. In addition to the hammer, he had a wooden club with a string tied through the handle.

MENTAL HEALTH CALL
Arguello & Sacramento
04-07-2015 10:11 PM
Officers responded to a 911 call about a suspect trying to open the rear door of a residence. They located the suspect who was experiencing a mental health crisis. He was combative with the officers and kicked them several times. Paramedics arrived and had to sedate him in order to get him safely onto a gurney and into the ambulance for transport to the hospital.

THEFT FROM A VEHICLE
California & Presidio
04-07-2015 7:00 PM
The victim left two purses on the front seat of her car. She returned a short time later to find her window smashed and the purses gone. The purses contained her passport, her birth certificate, her social security card, her house keys, her iPhone, her jewelry and her make-up. The total loss including the window was almost $2700.
Captain’s Note: I included this case because it is a typical auto burglary (the most commonly reported crime in the Richmond) and I hope that others can learn from this victim’s unfortunate experience. The best way to prevent and reduce auto burglaries is to never leave valuables in the car. Auto burglars will return to areas where they have been successful in the past. Depriving them of loot reduces the likelihood of future break-ins. This is the same idea as not leaving food out in a campground. If the bears find food, they will keep coming back. Please don’t feed the bears! (Let me be clear that I’m not disparaging bears. As a Cal alumnus, I’m a huge fan of Bears).

ARREST: WARRANT
Anza & 48th Ave
04-08-2015 6:46 AM
Officers responded to a report of a suspicious person possibly breaking into cars. They detained the suspect but could not prove that he had broken into any cars. However, he did have a warrant for his arrest for drug violations out of San Mateo County.

THEFT
Geary & Stanyan
04-09-2015 10:05 AM
Two suspects entered an electronics store, cut the security wires to the iPads on display and fled.
Suspect 1: Black male, 20-30 years old, 5’10” 250 lbs, wearing a black hooded sweatshirt, white pants and brown shoes.
Suspect 2: Asian male, 20-30 years old, 6”1” 210 lbs, wearing a red and grey baseball cap, red and black check shirt, and black pants.
Vehicle: Grey four door sedan

MENTAL HEALTH CALL
Point Lobos & 48th Ave
04-09-2015 6:28 PM
An agitated woman boarded a MUNI bus that was stopped at the end of the line. When the driver told her that the bus was not in service and asked her to get off, she punched him and accused him of being the father of her child (he has never seen her before). Officers responded and detained the woman who told them that she was hearing voices and wanted to shoot herself. The MUNI driver was uninjured and did not want to press charges. Due to her apparent mental health crisis, the woman was transported to the hospital.

SHOOTING
Geary & 5th Ave
04-10-2015 12:43 AM
A group was involved in a fight on the sidewalk. During this fight, an unknown suspect fired two shots. No witness reports seeing the shooter, the weapon or any associated vehicle so there is no suspect information at this time. An uninvolved person standing across the street suffered a gunshot wound that is not life threatening. The victim is an exchange student from abroad studying at USF.

CONTACT US:
Call 911 for emergencies
Call 415-553-0123 for non-emergency police service
Richmond Station
461 6th Ave.
San Francisco, CA 94118
415-666-8000
E-mail: SFPDRichmondStation@sfgov.org