September 2001 RETURN TO HOME PAGE FEEDBACK

The following crime summaries were culled from incident reports filed at Mission Police Station from June 11 to July 24, 2001.

Petty Theft: 11:30 a.m. on June 11; 3900 block of 24th Street

Police responded to a call from the owner of a retail store on the 3900 block of 24th Street, regarding a shoplifter who was resisting a citizen's arrest. A store employee told police that he was working behind the checkout counter when he heard the store security alarm sound.

The employee saw the suspect, a 57-year-old man, wearing a black hat, gray sport coat, and blue jeans, passing the security sensors and leaving the store. He asked the suspect what he had from the store, and the suspect handed the employee a leather wallet. "This is all I have. Let me go," he told the employee, who then attempted to take the suspect inside the store and call police.

The suspect resisted, and the suspect and employee struggled, with both men falling to the ground and the employee scraping his hand during the scuffle. Eventually, the employee gained control of the suspect and brought him to the rear of the store, where he handed him over to the store's owner. The owner asked the suspect what else he had taken from the store, and the suspect removed two pens and three more leather wallets from his coat and pants pockets.

The owner told the suspect not to return to the store. Police transported the suspect to Mission Station for booking. A routine computer check revealed that the suspect has been convicted and served time for several petty theft crimes.

Burglary of a Residence Under Construction and Unlawful Entry: Between 7:30 p.m. on June 13 and 6:50 a.m. on June 14; 4300 block of 26th Street

The owner of a construction company that was remodeling a house on 26th Street near Diamond Street told police that he locked and secured the property when he left it around 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 13. When he returned the next morning, he found the garage door ajar. He entered the garage and found several items, including a jackhammer, nail gun, and three saws, missing from the rear area.

Police searched the property, but found no signs of forced entry. Due to lack of physical evidence, police did not notify Crime Scene Investigations.

Defrauding Providers of Food, Fuel, or Accommodations: 8:30 p.m. on July 2; 3800 block of 24th Street

The owner of a restaurant on the 3800 block of 24th Street reported to police that a male suspect, about 58119, weighing 190 pounds, with red hair, came to his restaurant on Monday, July 2, and ordered and ate his meal of New York steak, salad, and two glasses of Merlot, at one of the restaurant's sidewalk tables. The dinner bill totaled $27.52, and the suspect left a check in the amount of $37.52 to cover the bill and a tip for the food server. Suspicious of the check, the restaurant owner called the suspect's bank and learned that the account had been closed.

The next afternoon, the suspect returned and asked the owner, "Did I pay for my meal last night?" The owner responded, "Yeah, you left me a bad check. I need your ID." The suspect said he did not have any identification on him, but provided the owner with an address on Sanchez and also a phone number.

When police attempted to contact the suspect at that address, they found that it did not exist. Nor was there an answer at the phone number the suspect provided.

A computer check of the suspect's name revealed a long rap sheet of fraud crimes. The case has been assigned to the police's fraud unit.

Malicious Mischief, Vandalism to Property: In the evening hours of July 3 and July 19; commercial corridor of 24th Street

Several stores up and down 24th Street, including Small Frys, Indigo V, Accent on Flowers, Blackbird Fine Art, and the new Noi Restaurant, had their storefront windows vandalized with etched graffiti tag marks on July 3 and July 19.

According to Police Officer Chuck Limbert, graffiti coordinator for San Francisco, at least one of the taggers, who uses the initials "ROC," has been taken into custody. Because he is a minor, he is being held at the Youth Guidance Center, pending a court date.

Limbert encourages merchants and residents to report any graffiti problems directly to him at 415-558-5445. People also may report incidents online by logging on to www.greatestgraffiti.com.

Purse Snatch: 2:50 p.m. on July 24; corner of Jersey and Church streets

A woman was walking on Church Street, carrying her purse, when a male suspect, aged 20 to 30, ran up behind her, grabbed the purse, and fled up Jersey Street. The suspect jumped into the passenger side of a brown vehicle, which fled onto Chattanooga. Along with the purse, the suspect got away with its contents including family photos, house keys, rosary beads, a wallet, and $80.

Police Contacts

The Voice thanks Noe Valley Beat Officer Lorraine Lombardo for providing the incident reports for this month's Police Beat. Officer Lombardo, along with Mission Station Captain Ron Roth, encourages Noe Valley residents and merchants to attend the police-community meeting held the last Tuesday of the month at Mission Station, 630 Valencia Street. The next meeting is Sept. 25 at 6 p.m.

Mission Police Station covers the northern half of Noe Valley, from 21st Street to Cesar Chavez. Residents are welcome to call the station at 558-5400 or send e-mail to sfpdmissionstation@ ci.sf.ca.us. To report anonymously on drugs, gangs, or other crime, call the non-traceable police hotline at 558-5452.

Those Noe Valleyans who live south of Cesar Chavez fall within the Ingleside Police District. Ingleside community meetings are held on the third Thursday of the month at Ingleside Station, 1 Sergeant John Young Lane, near the 2000 block of San Jose Avenue. The next meeting is set for Sept. 20 at 7 p.m. To contact Ingleside Station, call Captain Marsha Ashe at 404-4000 or e-mail marsha-ashe@ci.sf.ca.us.

To report a crime in progress, call 911. (Cell phone users should dial 553-8090.)