July-August 2008 RETURN TO HOME PAGE FEEDBACK

Report from Mission Station
By Officer Jane Warner
San Francisco Patrol Special Police

The following crime summaries were culled from reports filed at Mission Police Station. They cover some but not all incidents occurring in the northern half of Noe Valley, during the period April 16 to May 15, 2008. In general, that area includes the blocks bordered by Grand View, 20th, Guerrero, and Cesar Chavez streets, although this month we've also listed an incident in the Castro District.

Hit and Run, 24th and Dolores, 6-4-08, 5:03 p.m.: While traveling southbound on Dolores Street, a woman reported to police that her car was slightly rear-ended by another car, an older blue Honda, whose driver kept driving, failing to stop and exchange information. The woman, who reported only minor damage to her 2003 Subaru, was able to jot down the fleeing vehicle's license plate and turn it over to police for further investigation.

Theft, Bank Card, 500 block of Castro, 6-6-08, 8:13 p.m.: After using the ATM machines outside the Castro branch of the Bank of America, a woman realized she had left her card in the machine. When she returned to the ATMs a few minutes later, she noticed a man was using the dispenser she had used. "I left my card in the ATM. Did you see it?" the woman asked. "No, I don't think so," the man casually replied and walked away after completing his transaction. After he had left, a witness told the woman he had observed the ATM "beeping" as the man approached the machine, looked around, and then used the card. The woman searched the area but could not find the suspect, described as a six-foot white male, 38 to 45 years old, weighing 190 pounds, with brown curly hair and glasses, and wearing a jacket over a dress shirt. She called Bank of America to report the theft and was informed a transaction had recently occurred at the Castro branch ATM in the amount of $420.

Burglary, 1200 block of Sanchez, 6-7-08, 1:08 a.m.: While sleeping in her bedroom, a woman heard what sounded like footsteps on her livingroom floor. Getting up to investigate, she peered out her bedroom door and saw the beam of a flashlight waving in the dark. The woman walked into the living room toward the light, unaware she was standing next to an intruder. Without speaking, the male suspect ran across the living room and jumped out a second-story window, landing on the ground below. As the man ran away, the woman yelled to other tenants in the building, one of whom heard the woman screaming and gave chase, pursuing the suspect on Clipper Street. When they neared Dolores, the tenant picked up a brick and threw it at the suspect, striking him in the back. The man kept running, however. The tenant lost sight of the suspect, described as a Hispanic male, 40 to 45 years old, six-foot-one, 200 pounds, muscular, and wearing a white T-shirt and light blue jeans. The woman told responding police that she had recently placed an ad on Craigslist to rent out one of her bedrooms. Police surmised the suspect had scaled the side of the building and climbed in through an unsecured window. Nothing was reported missing.

Theft from Vehicle, 22nd and Dolores, 6-8-08, 11:15 a.m. (reported): A woman reported to police that she had parked and locked her black Mazda Miata on 22nd Street near Dolores. When she returned the next morning, she discovered that the passenger-side panel window had been broken out and the car stereo, valued at about $500, had been ripped out of the vehicle's center console. Although the car had been rummaged through, nothing else was missing or damaged. There was no known suspect.

Theft from Person, 26th and Church, 6-13-08, 11:13 a.m.: Officer Calvin Chow, assigned to Mission Station, responded to a call about a stolen laptop at 26th and Church streets. Upon arrival, he met with the victim, who reported that he had been sitting at an outdoor café when a man ran up to his table and snatched his laptop. The suspect, described as a five-foot-eight Hispanic male, 20 to 25 years old, 165 pounds, wearing a white-sleeved sweatshirt and light-colored pants, ran across the street, where he got into a parked silver four-door Honda and drove away eastbound on 26th Street. The victim gave chase on foot, but soon lost sight of the vehicle as it neared Dolores Street. When the man returned to the café, a witness gave him the license plate number of the suspect's vehicle, which he had copied down during the escape. The victim passed the number on to Officer Chow. He also informed Chow that security cameras in front of a nearby property had picked up images of the suspect's vehicle as it was driving from the scene. Officer Chow, who had been informed of a similar robbery in the Ingleside District, called Officer Marty Bandvik, who had handled that case. Officer Bandvik responded that the license plate number and the suspect description were the same in both cases. Officer Chow filed a report and forwarded his findings to Inspector Alex Bini of the SFPD's Robbery Detail.

Jane Warner is a member of the San Francisco Patrol Special Police, which is a private group whose officers receive training from the SFPD. To contact her, e-mail sfpatrol@earthlink.net or call 415-559-9955.

Report from Ingleside Station

The Voice thanks Ingleside Police Captain Denis O'Leary for providing the following crime log for Upper Noe Valley, an area roughly bordered by Cesar Chavez Street, Guerrero/San Jose Avenue, 30th Street, and Diamond Heights Boulevard. The log covers incidents reported from May 16 to June 15, 2008. If you would like to receive Capt. O'Leary's weekly e-mail newsletter, send an e-mail to InglesideStationNewsletter-subscribe@yahoogroups.com. You can also view updates online at www.sfgov.org.

UPPER NOE VALLEY CRIME LOG
Capt. Denis O'Leary's Incident Report for May 16 to June 15, 2008

Narcotics Violation, Castro and Day, 5-17-08, 5 p.m.: Officer To investigated a suspicious vehicle and cited a SOMA District man for possession of drugs; case #080517699.

Residential Burglary, 600 block of 30th, 5-18-08, 7 p.m.: Occurred between May 16 and 18. Forced entry via garage. Computers and DVD player taken.

Residential Burglary, 200 block of 29th, 5-20-08, 3:15 p.m.: Forced entry via front door. Camera, mountain bike, and cash taken.

Battery/Arrest, 1500 block of Church, 5-25-08, 10 p.m.: A 44-year-old Noe Valley woman was charged with battery in a domestic violence case; case #080549755.

Armed Robbery, 200 block of Valley, 5-27-08, 5:30 p.m.: A man approached a couple seated on a stoop as they used a laptop computer. The man demanded the computer and tried to pull it from them. When they resisted, he brandished a handgun. They relinquished the computer, and the man and his accomplice, a woman, fled in a four-door silver Toyota Camry.

Vandalism to Parked Cars, 100 block of Duncan, 5-27-08, 8 p.m.

Strong-Arm Robbery, 1400 block of Sanchez, 5-28-08, 5:30 p.m.: A 58-year-old Noe Valley woman was pushed from behind by a teenager, who pulled her purse from her shoulder.

Theft, 400 block of Day, 5-29-08, 11:30 a.m.: A resident reported that someone forced open the security gate to her home sometime between May 28 & 29. The thief made off with a bicycle.

Grand Theft, 200 block of Duncan, 5-29-08, 4:30 p.m.: A 60-year-old New York resident was accosted on the staircase of her daughter's home. A thief took the woman's wallet from her hand. The victim gave chase to the perpetrator, but he got away.

Contempt of Court/Arrest, 300 block of 27th, 5-29-08, 6:45 p.m.: A 22-year-old Noe Valley woman subject to a court order forbidding contact with protected parties went to their home and threw a rock through a window. Officer McWilliams and posse found the woman outside the home and arrested her for violating a court order and for vandalism; case #080564311.

Auto Burglary, 1800 block of Church, 5-30-08, 8 p.m.

Attempted Auto Burglary, 28th and Castro, 6-5-08, 12:00 a.m.

Noe's Police Districts

Noe Valley falls under the wing of two San Francisco police districts: Mission and Ingleside. Mission Police Station covers the northern half of the neighborhood, including 24th Street, and Ingleside the southern half, starting at Cesar Chavez Street.

Both districts hold monthly meetings that are open to the public. Mission Police District's community meetings are held on the last Tuesday of the month, at 6 p.m., at Mission Station, 630 Valencia Street near 17th Street. Ingleside's community meetings take place on the third Tuesday of the month, 7 p.m., at Ingleside Police Station off Balboa Park at San Jose Avenue. To contact Mission Police, call 558-5400 or e-mail SFPDMissionStation@ci.sf.ca.us. To contact Ingleside, call 404-4000 or e-mail SFPDInglesideStation@ci.sf.ca.us. To report a crime in progress, call 911. For non-emergencies, call 553-0123.

Online Reporting

The SFPD has an online reporting system for the following crimes:

* Lost Property

* Theft

* Vandalism/Graffiti

* Vehicle Tampering

* Vehicle Burglary

* Harassing Phone Calls

Using this system allows you to submit a report and instantly print out a copy. Additional information is available at the SFPD's website: www.sfgov.org/police.