Police Blotter – February 12, 2016

SFPD Richmond District Police Station Update
02-12-2016
From Captain Simon Silverman

“Check out” our next community meeting at the Richmond Library:
Tues 02-16-2016 7:00 PM
Richmond/Senator Milton Marks Library
351 9th Ave
San Francisco

Captain’s Note:
In a typical week, the officers of Richmond Station handle about 750 incidents involving everything from noisy neighbors to aggravated assaults. Listing every case in the weekly update would make for a long read. Instead, I look for incidents that have a lesson to teach about crime prevention, that are representative of a general trend, that show the variety of police work or that are noteworthy. Think of the weekly update as a prix fixe menu of offerings selected by the chef. For those of you who prefer to order à la carte, the SFPD posts much of its crime data here: https://data.sfgov.org/data?category=Public Safety.

Bon appétit,
Captain Simon Silverman

Recent incidents from the Richmond Police District:

THEFT FROM A VEHICLE / ROBBERY ATTEMPT
02/05/2016 11:00 AM
The Great Highway & Lincoln Ave
The victim had just returned to his car after taking photos with his nice camera. As he sat in the driver’s seat, he heard a tapping at the passenger window and then the window shattered. The suspect reached in and grabbed the victim’s camera from the passenger seat but the victim held fast to the camera while the suspect tried to wrench it from his grasp. After a brief struggle, the suspect gave up and ran to a waiting Chevrolet SUV which sped off.
Suspect: Black male, 20-25 years old, 5’10” 175 lbs

Captain’s Note: Witnesses memorized the license plate of this SUV which turned out to be stolen. This investigation is ongoing.

THEFT FROM A VEHICLE / BURGLARY
02/05/2016 7:00 PM to 02/06/2016 8:50 AM
Lake & 25th Ave
The victims left their Jeep parked on the street in front of their home overnight. In the morning they discovered that the Jeep had been broken into and also that two bicycles had been stolen from their garage. Among the items stolen from the Jeep was a garage door opener which is probably how the suspect got into the garage.
Captain’s Note: For this reason, I recommend not leaving the garage door opener in the car – especially when the car is parked near the house.

TRAFFIC COLLISION WITH INJURIES
02/06/2016 4:34 PM
Geary & 15th Ave
A Toyota SUV was turning from westbound Geary to southbound 15th Ave. The SUV turned directly into the path of a Ducati motorcycle that was proceeding eastbound on Geary in the flow of traffic. The rider sustained moderate injuries and the driver was cited at the scene.
Captain’s Note: As a rider of bicycles and motorcycles, I’ve noticed that some drivers just don’t seem to see our smaller, two wheeled vehicles. My advice to my fellow two wheelers is to assume that no one sees you and to ride defensively. The expression goes, “Four wheels move the body while two wheels move the soul” – let’s make sure no one separates our souls from our bodies.

ARREST: BRANDISHING A KNIFE / RESISTING ARREST / MENTAL HEALTH CASE
02/07/2016 10:15 AM
Clement & 22nd Ave
A resident saw a shirtless man, with his face covered in baby powder sitting on neighbor’s motorcycle. The suspect got off the motorcycle and began attacking a balloon bouquet attached to the front of a home for a child’s party. The resident confronted the suspect who pulled a knife on him. The resident backed off and called 911 then stayed on the line with the dispatcher to help guide officers to the suspect. The suspect ran from officers and was caught after a brief foot pursuit. He was arrested and also taken to the hospital for mental health treatment.

MEDICAL ASSISTANCE
02/07/2016 6:15 PM
Baker & Sutter
A father called 911 for help with his 16 year old son who was behaving strangely. The son ran into the street, took off his pants and was talking very rapidly about wanting to meet God. Officers suspected that the young man was under the influence of LSD and he confirmed that he was “having an acid trip.” Paramedics took him to the hospital.
Captain’s Note: Timothy Leary (who had more than a passing familiarity with hallucinogens) advised, “Don’t take LSD unless you are very well prepared, unless you are specifically prepared to go out of your mind.”

TRAFFIC COLLISION
02/09/2016 10:10 AM
Geary & 6th Ave
A driver was trying to back his pick-up truck into a parking space in front of Richmond Police Station. The area is posted for police car parking only and has a red curb. A uniformed officer told him that he could not park in the spot. The driver yelled, “I don’t see any signs!” and promptly backed into one of the tax payers’ police cars, damaging the front end. He was cited onhealthy order flovent (for unsafe backing) and the City will be contacting his insurer to pay for the repairs.
Captain’s Note: You can always tell a bad driver… but apparently you can’t tell him much.

CITATION: MARIJUANA POSSESSION
02/09/2016 1:48 PM
Geary & 38th Ave
Officers responded to a report of three young men arguing. Upon arrival, the group was no longer arguing, but they were smoking marijuana (they may have forgotten what they were arguing about). As one of the men spied the approaching police car, he tried to throw a baggie of marijuana over a nearby fence, but it got stuck in a tree. Officers detained the trio and found that two of them were 15 year old students at nearby GWHS. Our school resource officer returned the students to school and handed them over to the dean who called their parents. The marijuana thrower was an 18 year old non-student without a medical marijuana recommendation. He was cited and the marijuana was booked as evidence.

ARREST: FELONY WARRANT
02/09/2016 4:06 PM
Clement & 16th Ave
Officers responded to a complaint about a person going through trash cans and throwing garbage around. They detained the suspect and found that he had a warrant for his arrest for armed robbery.

BURGLARY
02/10/2016 5:45 – 6:00 AM
California & 6th Ave
The suspect broke the glass front door of a café and stole cash from inside. The crime was captured on the café’s video system and footage of the incident (including a good look at the suspect) can be seen on the Richmond SF Blog (whose editor generously posts our weekly update).

ARREST: CARRYING A CONCEALED HANDGUN / MENTAL HEALTH CASE
02/10/2016 2:57 PM
Balboa & 4th Ave
A couple was in the process of a difficult break-up. As the girlfriend left the home, she took her gun (a compact 9mm semi-automatic pistol and two loaded magazines) with her. The boyfriend asked her not to take the gun given her distraught state. She made a suicidal statement which prompted the boyfriend to call 911. Officers detained the girlfriend on the sidewalk in front of the residence and found the handgun concealed in her bra beneath her loose fitting sweatshirt. She was arrested for carrying a concealed firearm and was taken to the hospital for mental health treatment.
Captain’s Note: In California, carrying a concealed and or loaded firearm in a public place is a misdemeanor.

ARREST: POSSESSION OF METHAMPHETAMINE AND MARIJUANA FOR SALE
02/11/2016 1:44 AM
Fulton & LaPlaya
A sergeant on patrol saw a person sitting in a pick-up truck in a store parking lot in the middle of the night. He ran a record check which revealed that the owner of the truck was on probation in Nevada County. As a condition of his probation, the owner is required to submit to warrantless search. As the sergeant walked up to the truck, the suspect got out and ran off. He was quickly found hiding nearby. There was a significant quantity of methamphetamine and marijuana in the truck along with a scale (for “portion control”).
Captain’s Note: Nevada County just put the suspect on probation on 02/01/2016. He is a registered sex offender who is also the subject of several domestic violence restraining orders. He has a San Francisco arrest record dating back 33 years that includes assault with a deadly weapon, false imprisonment, threatening a witness, domestic violence and drug violations. About 12 hours after his arrest, the suspect posted $13,000 bail and he remains out of custody.

HIT & RUN COLLISION
02/11/2016 8:12 PM
California & Divisadero
A silver Infinity SUV drove onto the sidewalk, nearly hitting a pedestrian. It struck a table and pushed it through the window of a business. No one got a look at the driver, who sped away from the scene.

ARREST: BRANDISHING AN IMITATION FIREARM / PUBLIC INTOXICATION
02/11/2016 9:27 PM
Geary & 19th Ave
An off duty deputy sheriff saw the suspect muttering about shooting some people and noticed that he had a handgun protruding from his waist band. The deputy called 911 and assisted the responding officers in arresting the suspect. The firearm turned out to be a realistic replica. As officers were grappling with the suspect, an intoxicated person came up and interfered. He was also arrested.

ARREST: TRESPASSING
02/12/2016 12:20 AM
California & Spruce
The suspect was verbally harassing patrons in Starbucks so the employees asked him to leave (repeatedly). When he did not, they called the SFPD and the responding officers explained to him that his order was now “to go.” Once escorted out, he shouted angrily at the officers telling them that as soon as they left he was going right back inside.
Captain’s Note: Time to switch to decaf.

Contact us:
Richmond Station
461 6th Ave.
San Francisco, CA 94118
415-666-8000
E-mail: SFPDRichmondStation@sfgov.org