Noe Valley Voice October 2002
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Police Beat

The following crime summaries were culled from incident reports filed at Mission and Ingleside police stations during August 2002.

Residential Burglary: 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 1; 3900 block of Cesar Chavez Street

At 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 1, a resident of the 3900 block of Cesar Chavez Street near Sanchez was in her home office when she heard her backyard gate bang loudly. She looked out her window to see a man walking in front of her garage. The resident then went outside and saw that her gate was ajar. Knowing that the garage can be accessed through a door in the backyard, the resident had her husband check the garage for missing items. He discovered that several of his possessions, including $100 in rolled coins, a Sony Discman, and a cordless drill, were gone.

The resident told police that a few days earlier she and her husband had held a two-day garage sale and that a man who had appeared at the sale on both days went into the garage and was looking around, even though she had told him there was nothing for sale inside. The resident added that she believed the man at the garage sale was the same man whom she had spotted in front of her garage the day of the burglary. She also told police that she had seen him in the neighborhood previously. He is described as white, 6829, 200 pounds, and aged 30 ­ 35. He is bald and was last seen wearing eyeglasses, a too-small baseball cap, a light-green jacket, and blue jeans. This case has been assigned to the SFPD's Burglary Division.

Mental Health Detention: 9:35 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 4; 24th and Sanchez streets

A man was yelling profanity and racial slurs at passersby near the corner of 24th and Sanchez streets during the midmorning of Sunday, Aug. 4. When police arrived on the scene, they found the man lying on the sidewalk talking to himself. He told police that he had been "hijacked for the past 17 years," and that he had spoken to all the world leaders, but that "no one will do anything about it." Police took the man to San Francisco General Hospital.

Residential Burglary: Between 5:45 and 5:50 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 6; 1400 block of Sanchez Street

At 5:45 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 6, the resident of a home in the 1400 block of Sanchez Street near Clipper left his garage door open and went upstairs to his residence. When he returned to the garage five minutes later, his money clip with $400, an $800 mountain bike, a $900 digital camera, and a $250 leather jacket were missing. The case has been assigned to the SFPD's Burglary Division.

Residential Burglary: Between 4 and 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 7; 4600 block of 25th Street

A resident of a condominium in the 4600 block of 25th Street near Hoffman Avenue left his home around 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 7. When he returned two hours later, his $3,000 mountain bike, $350 Palm Pilot, $3,000 laptop computer, a portable movie projector, three watches, and $50 were missing. The resident told police that he had left the sliding door of his patio unlocked. Police searched a nearby hillside for possible evidence, but came up empty-handed. The case has been assigned to the SFPD's Burglary Division.

Street Robbery: 9:10 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 22; 4200 block of 24th Street

Around 9 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 22, a 47-year-old woman was walking along the 4200 block of 24th Street near Diamond when a man in his early 20s and wearing a black beanie began running toward her. He grabbed and tugged the strap of her purse, which was slung over her shoulder. The woman yelled, "Help me! Help me!" The man continued to pull on her purse strap and was so forceful that the woman was thrown to the ground. The man fled with the purse down 24th Street toward Diamond. The woman picked herself up and began running after the man. Two passersby who had witnessed the crime also joined the pursuit. The suspect then jumped into a dark-colored four-door car that was parked on 24th Street near Diamond. The car sped away and was quickly out of view.

The woman told police that her purse contained a wallet, $40, a cell phone, credit cards, an I.D. card, and car and house keys. Police told her to immediately cancel her credit cards and have the door locks to her house changed. The woman told police that she had a sore wrist but that she did not need medical attention. The case has been assigned to the SFPD's Robbery Division.

Theft from a Locked Vehicle: 1:50 a.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 28; 500 block of 30th Street

In the early morning hours of Wednesday, Aug. 28, a woman was visiting friends in their home in the 500 block of 30th Street near Noe when she heard a noise outside that sounded like someone breaking into her Honda Civic, which was parked in front of the home. She looked outside and saw a man enter the vehicle and open and remove something from the trunk. The man then walked down 30th Street heading toward Noe. The woman called police and went outside to check her vehicle. She found a portion of a window on the passenger's side had been broken. She also discovered that the man had taken a paper bag, which was filled with several clothing items, from her trunk. Police searched the area for the unknown suspect, but were unable to locate him.

Bicycle Theft: 12:40 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 29; 1700 block of Church Street

At 12:40 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 29, the owner of a gold-colored mountain bike was inside his workplace in the 1700 block of Church Street near Day when he heard someone yell, "Hey, stop!" He then saw a man riding away on his bicycle.

The bicycle owner told police that he had parked his bike in front of his workplace at 8 a.m., securing it to a parking meter with a lock. A witness told police that he was having lunch nearby when he saw a man lift the bicycle over the meter and begin to ride off on it. The witness ran after the man to try to stop him, but was unable to catch him. The case has been assigned to the SFPD's Burglary Division.

The Voice thanks Mission Police Officer Lorraine Lombardo and Ingleside Officer Mike Smith for providing the incident reports for this month's Police Beat. The reports were summarized by Kathy Dalle-Molle.

How to Contact the SFPD

Noe Valley straddles two San Francisco police districts -- Mission and Ingleside -- each with its own turf. Mission Police Station covers the northern half of Noe Valley, from 21st Street to Cesar Chavez Street. Ingleside Police Station has jurisdiction over the southern half of Noe Valley, from Cesar Chavez Street to Glen Park.

Those who live or work within the Mission Police District can report recurring crimes or safety problems by phoning the station at 558-5400. You also may send e-mail to Capt. Greg Corrales at gregory _corrales@ci.sf.ca.us or attend police/community meetings held the last Tuesday of the month. The next meeting will be Tuesday, Oct. 29, at 6 p.m., at Mission Station, 630 Valencia Street. (To report anonymously on drugs, gangs, or other crime, call Mission Station's nontraceable hotline at 558-5452.)

Residents, workers, and merchants in "outer" Noe Valley--south of Cesar Chavez--can contact Ingleside Station by calling 404-4000 or e-mailing Capt. Kevin Dillon at kevin_dillon@ci.sf.ca.us. The Ingleside police/community meetings are held the third Tuesday of the month at Ingleside Station, 1 Sergeant John Young Lane, near the 2000 block of San Jose Avenue. The next meeting will be Tuesday, Oct. 15, at 7 p.m.

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