December-January 2004 RETURN TO HOME PAGE FEEDBACK

Police Beat is a roundup of crimes and other police incidents in Noe Valley. "Noe Valley" is defined as the area bordered by Grand View, 21st, Fair Oaks, and 30th streets. The following crime summaries were culled from incident reports filed at Ingleside Police Station during October 2004.

Because of a change in policy at Mission Station, crime records for the parts of Noe Valley within that station's jurisdiction--north of Cesar Chavez Street--were not available this month.

Theft from Vehicle: Between 12:30 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 30, and 10:12 a.m., Monday, Oct. 4; 1400 block of Sanchez Street

A Sanchez Street woman reported that an unknown person broke into her locked vehicle, stealing her passport, credit card, and library card. No damage was done to the vehicle.

Theft from Vehicle: Between 4:30 and 4:45 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 2; 29th and Church streets

A woman left her van locked at the corner of Church and 29th streets and returned 15 minutes later to find that someone had stolen her purse, containing her driver's license, bank cards, and credit cards.

Theft of Vehicle: Between 1 and 9 a.m., Sunday, Oct. 3; 200 block of 30th Street

A 30th Street resident reported a green 1994 Nissan Pathfinder stolen. The vehicle bears the California license 3EYU476.

Theft of License Plate: Between 9 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 3, and 9 a.m., Monday, Oct. 4; 200 block of 27th Street

A 27th Street woman reported that the rear license plate had been stolen from her 2002 Volkswagen Passat. The California license number is 4YDB162.

Recovered Vehicle: 11 a.m., Tuesday, Oct. 5; 600 block of 29th Street

A 1992 Nissan Pathfinder belonging to a Clipper Street man was recovered by police on 29th Street.

Theft from Vehicle: Between 11:30 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 7, and 6 a.m., Friday, Oct. 8; 400 block of Day Street

A Day Street resident reported that an unknown person removed all four wheels from her 2000 Lexus GS300.

Theft of Vehicle: Between 9:45 p.m., Monday, Oct. 11, and 7:30 a.m., Tuesday, Oct. 12; 200 block of 28th Street

A 28th Street resident reported her gold 1997 Saturn SL2 stolen from near her home. The vehicle bears the California license 3UEJ762.

Recovered Vehicle: 10 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 12; 300 block of Duncan Street

A gold 1997 Saturn SL2 belonging to a resident of 28th Street was recovered on Duncan Street. The vehicle was returned to its owner.

Theft of Vehicle: Between 12:30 and 8:30 a.m., Saturday, Oct. 16; 200 block of 30th Street

A 30th Street resident reported a green 1994 Nissan Pathfinder stolen. The vehicle bears the California license 3EYU476.

Burglary: Between 11:15 a.m. and 4 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 17; 500 block of 28th Street

A woman returned home to find her jewelry box missing and her bedroom in disarray. The thief apparently entered through an adjacent bedroom's window. The box contained numerous items of jewelry, including wedding rings.

Armed Robbery: 11:45 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 20, 500 block of 29th Street

A 29th Street resident was robbed at gunpoint outside his home. The victim, who was not injured, reported that he was walking up his driveway when he heard someone behind him. The robber threatened to shoot him and demanded his money. After he had taken the victim's checkbook, ATM card, and credit cards, the robber told his victim to run, and again threatened his life. A suspect has not been found, but police note there have been a series of similar robberies in San Francisco.

Theft of Vehicle: Between noon, Thursday, Oct. 21, and 11:20 a.m., Saturday, Oct. 23; 1400 block of Sanchez Street

A woman reported her burgundy 1989 Volvo 240 stolen. The vehicle bears the California license 2RAV567.

Theft of Vehicle: Between 8 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 21, and 7:30 a.m., Friday, Oct. 22; 28th and Sanchez streets

A Sanchez Street resident reported his 1985 faded brown Toyota Camry stolen from near his home. The vehicle bears the California license 1KYP406.

Burglary: Between 6:15 p.m., Friday, Oct. 22, and 1:30 a.m., Saturday, Oct. 23; 300 block of 29th Street

A woman reported that she returned to her home to discover her laptop computer missing. She had left a side window slightly open; after the burglary, the window was wide open and the screen had been removed. Nothing else was taken and no suspect has been found.

Burglary: Between 8:45 a.m. and 9:30 p.m., Friday, Oct. 27; 200 block of Duncan Street

An unknown person broke into a home on Duncan Street, stealing a laptop computer, two guitars, and a microphone. The point of entry and exit was apparently the garage, which was left unlocked for an hour during the afternoon. No suspect has been found.

Burglary: Between 10 a.m. and 1:50 p.m., Friday, Oct. 29; 500 block of Valley Street

A man discovered his apartment was being burglarized when he returned home to find an unknown person standing in his roommate's bedroom. He said "hello" to the man, who covered his face and fled, carrying a black backpack. The would-be burglar entered and exited through the front door, though no signs of forced entry were found.

The Voice thanks Ingleside Police Officer Mike Smith for providing access to the incident reports for this month's Police Beat. The reports were summarized by Voice writer Erin O'Briant.

Stolen Wine Pops Up at a Corner Deli

A Noe Valley man was devastated when a burglar stole $15,000 worth of wine from his newly built cellar in August, and was shocked weeks later to find the wine for sale at a corner deli in the Castro, according to a story published in the San Francisco Chronicle on Oct. 31, 2004.

The thief took 249 of the resident's 250 bottles of vintage French and Italian wine, leaving one bottle to prop open the door when he left. Police were able to get a fingerprint off that bottle and subsequently arrested a 36-year-old former felon for the crime.

The victim, a resident of 21st Street, told the Chronicle that police sent him to check out a store at Noe and 17th streets on a hunch that the wine might be there. Sure enough, 52 of his bottles were on the deli's shelves. When the resident failed to buy any of the high-priced wines, the owner of the deli followed him out of the store and offered a 20 percent discount.

According to the Chronicle, the deli owner returned the wine and claimed he didn't know it had been stolen, but is under investigation by the state Bureau of Alcohol Beverage Control for buying from an unlicensed distributor.

The 21st Street resident did not return calls from the Voice by press time.

HOW TO CONTACT THE SFPD

Noe Valley residents and merchants are welcome to attend police-community meetings held monthly in both the Mission and Ingleside police districts. The next Ingleside meeting will be Tuesday, Dec. 21, 7 p.m., at Ingleside Station, 1 Sgt. John Young Lane, off the 2000 block of San Jose Avenue. The next Mission meeting will be Tuesday, Dec. 28, 6 p.m., at Mission Station, 630 Valencia Street near 17th Street.

Noe Valleyans who live or work north of Cesar Chavez Street (within the Mission Police District) should report recurring problems by phoning Mission Station at 558-5400 or e-mailing SFPDMissionStation@ ci.sf.ca.us. To report anonymously on drugs, gangs, or other crimes, call Mission Station's nontraceable hotline at 552-4558.

Residents and merchants in "outer" Noe Valley--south of Cesar Chavez Street--may contact Ingleside Station by calling 404-4000 or e-mailing SFPDInglesideStation@ ci.sf.ca.us. The Ingleside anonymous tip line is 587-8984. To sign up for the station's daily crime e-letter, e-mail Captain Paul Chignell at Paul_Chignell@ci.sf.ca.us.

To report a crime in progress, call 911. To report a non-emergency situation, call 553-0123.