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Catalytic Converter Thefts
There has been a rash of thefts involving catalytic converters in the Mission Police District. A number of these thefts have occurred in and around the Noe Valley area in the late evening or early morning. All of the affected vehicles have been Toyota pickups or SUVs. One of the thefts was caught on video. The suspect was a white male, 20 to 30 years old, five-foot-seven to six feet tall, brown hair, wearing a dark shirt and blue jeans. The vehicle used in the theft was a red or maroon Chevy pickup, possibly model S10. The removal of the catalytic converter took very little time. If you have any further suspect information, please contact the investigator on this case, Sergeant Fowlie, at 558-5484.
—Officer Steven Keith
REPORT FROM MISSION STATION
The Noe Valley Voice thanks Officer Steven Keith for writing this month’s log of incidents in the part of Noe Valley covered by Mission Police Station. The log includes incidents occurring March 11 to April 10, 2011, in the area bordered by Grand View, 20th, Guerrero, and Cesar Chavez streets. To contact Officer Keith, email SFPDMissionStation@sfgov.org or call the station at 558-5400.
March 17, 11 a.m., 1400 block of Castro, Burglary of Home: Officer Chow responded to an apartment building regarding a break-in and theft. The victim reported that security cameras were taken from inside the garage; then a storage shed was broken into, the thief making off with a backpack and biking gear as well. #110221649
March 20, 1:53 p.m., 3800 block of 24th, Burglary of Store: Officer Chow responded to a reported burglary of a store and theft of several hundred eyeglass frames. #110230537
March 20, 2:23 p.m., 700 block of Guerrero, Theft, Vehicle Strip: Officers Kerow and Phillips responded to a report of a stolen catalytic converter. The victim was startled by loud noises coming from his normally smooth-running truck after he started it up. #110230515
March 21, 8:45 p.m., 4100 block of 20th, Theft from Building: Officer Cuenca took a counter report from a resident who reported several thousand dollars in cash and gift cards taken from his flat. #110234410
March 24, 10:30 a.m., Trespassing and Burglary of Flat: Several officers responded to a call of a burglary in progress at a flat under construction. Workers at the site had detained a suspect who was found inside a shipping container where tools were stored. No theft occurred and the suspect was issued a citation for trespassing. #110241562
March 25, 9 a.m., 25th and Guerrero, Stolen Vehicle: Police Services Aide Etcheverry took a counter report of a stolen 2011 Toyota Camry rental car. The Camry was recovered three days later on the 1200 block of Silver Avenue. #110244168
March 26, 10:26 a.m., 300 block of Liberty, Theft, Bicycle: Officers Ortega and Lopez responded to a call regarding a bicycle stolen from a locked garage. #110247582
March 27, 10 a.m., 400 block of Jersey, Burglary of Residence: Officer Chow responded to a call regarding the theft of three bicycles from a garage. #110250438
March 28, 3 p.m., 400 block of Jersey, Stolen Vehicle: Officer Chow responded to a call regarding a stolen 1994 Honda Accord. #110253614
March 30, 10:04 a.m., 4400 block of 25th, Stolen Vehicle: Officer Johnson responded to a report of a stolen 1997 Honda Accord. The Accord was recovered the following day on the 800 block of Chestnut Street. #110258868
March 30, 8:53 p.m., 20th and Church, Hit-and-Run: Several officers responded to a call regarding a vehicle abandoned on the Muni tracks. It was later determined the abandoned vehicle had been involved in an earlier hit-and-run of three parked vehicles near the intersection of 20th and Dolores. The suspect driver was described as a woman who possibly went by the name “Summer.” #110272153
March 30, 9:28 p.m., 4100 block of 24th, Burglary of Store: Officers Balingit and Wilson responded to a reported burglary in progress. A witness on the scene heard glass break and saw a shadowy figure fleeing the area. Officers collected evidence and took pictures, but the owner was not on the scene to conduct an inventory of the premises. #110260904
April 3, 10 p.m., 3700 block of 26th, Stolen Vehicle: Officer Brandon responded to a call regarding a stolen 1992 Acura Integra. The Acura was recovered the following day on the 1600 block of 25th Street. #110272244
April 4, 8 p.m., 3400 block of 22nd, Stolen Vehicle: Officer Buckley responded to a report of a stolen 2000 Honda CRV. The Honda was recovered the following day by Millbrae Police Department. #110275179
April 8, 9:49 a.m., 2500 block of 21st, Stolen Vehicle: Officers Lopez and Ortega responded to a report of a stolen 2009 Infiniti. #110285849
April 8, 8:15 p.m., 4300 block of 21st, Burglary of Home: Officers Richards and Buckner responded to a report of two laptops and jewelry taken from a locked apartment. Tool marks and other signs of forcible entry were discovered during the investigation. #110287748
April 9, 8:43 p.m., 500 block of Liberty, Theft from Locked Vehicle: Officer Chow responded to a call regarding an auto boosting of a Toyota RAV4. The owner of the vehicle surprised the thief, causing him to cut short his pillaging and flee with his plunder. The suspect was described as a white male standing six feet tall, weighing approximately 170 pounds, wearing a tan jacket and dark-colored pants. The passenger-side window was broken and a GPS unit taken. #110289045
REPORT FROM INGLESIDE STATION
The following police blotter covers incidents reported March 11 to April 10, 2011, in Upper Noe Valley—the area roughly bounded by Cesar Chavez, Guerrero, 30th, and Diamond streets. The incidents were culled from newsletters produced by Capt. Louis Cassanego of Ingleside Police Station. The log may not include all crimes reported during the period.
March 11, 7:25 p.m., 800 block of San Jose Ave., D.U.I.: Officers Leong and Castillo were on patrol in the area of San Jose Avenue and Dolores Street when they observed a vehicle stopped in a flowing lane of traffic. The vehicle was preventing other vehicles from proceeding forward, thus impeding the flow. The officers made contact with the driver, whom they found slumped over in his seat, asleep. After waking up, the driver stepped out of the vehicle, and the officers noticed that he smelled of alcohol. The officers performed field sobriety tests on the driver and determined him to be under the influence of alcohol. The driver was booked on a D.U.I. #110206312
March 12, 11:34 a.m., first block of 28th, Trespassing: Officers Martinez and Banta responded to a report of a burglary. The victim stated that there had been a man sleeping under the exterior staircase of her home. The officers found trash bags under the staircase, but the suspect was gone upon their arrival. The officers searched the area for the suspect with negative results. #110208001
March 16, 8:06 a.m., 500 block of 29th, Recovered Auto
March 18, 6:59 p.m., 500 block of Valley, Warrant Arrest: Officers Burke and McMilton responded to an address to look for a suspect with an outstanding warrant. The officers made contact with the suspect and positively identified him. The officers took the suspect into custody. #091063435
March 23, 5:50 p.m., Guerrero at 29th, Robbery Arrest: Officer Preston was on patrol when Dispatch sent him to investigate a robbery. Dispatch told the officer that a parking and control officer (PCO) was following the suspect and giving directions. The officer was able to locate the PCO and the suspect. As soon as the suspect saw the officer, he dropped to his knees and placed his hands behind his head and surrendered. As the officer was cuffing the suspect, a woman came running in his direction yelling, “That’s him!” and pointing to the suspect. The woman told the officer that a short time earlier, while she had been walking, she had felt someone grab her cell phone from behind. She said she and the suspect each struggled to hold on to the phone. When the suspect was unable to take the phone from the victim, he snatched her glasses and began to run, she said. The victim yelled and chased after the suspect. Seeing the commotion, the PCO and another witness pursued the suspect. Because of their participation, a would-be robber is now in jail. #110240116
March 26, 7:15 a.m., first block of Duncan, Stolen Vehicle
March 26, 6:28 p.m., first block of Duncan, Recovered Vehicle
April 1, 9:30 p.m., 1600 block of Guerrero, Stolen Auto
April 4, 2 a.m., 2000 block of Castro, Theft from Vehicle: Victim called 311 to report a vehicle break-in. He stated he parked and secured his vehicle, and when he returned the vehicle’s GPS had been taken. #116043774
April 7, 3:30 p.m., 30th at Dolores, Fraudulent Trick: Police Services Aide Flynn took a counter report regarding a fraudulent trick. The victim stated he was approached by two suspects who told him that they had won the lottery. The female suspect told the victim that she was not a citizen and therefore could not cash in the winning ticket. She told the victim that if he cashed in the ticket for her, she would give him a portion of the winnings. The male suspect suggested that each of them put up $15,000 as a good faith gesture and that they would all share in the overall winnings. The victim told them that he could not get that much. The victim went to a bank and withdrew $1,000, which he gave to the female suspect. The suspects then drove the victim to the store so he could buy stamps to mail in the lottery ticket. The suspects waited outside in the car. When the victim emerged, the suspects were gone. #110284374
April 8, 10 a.m., 900 block of Duncan, Stolen Vehicle
April 10, 2:34 p.m., 30th at San Jose Ave., Traffic Collision
Police Borders
Noe Valley is split between two San Francisco police jurisdictions—Mission Police District and Ingleside Police District—with Cesar Chavez Street as the dividing line. Mission Station covers the northern half of the neighborhood, while Ingleside patrols the southern half. Both districts invite citizens to attend police community meetings, held monthly. Mission Police District holds meetings on the last Tuesday of the month, 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 Station, 1 Sgt. John V. Young Lane.
Police Contacts
Mission Station: 558-5400
Anonymous Tip Line: 392-2623
Newsletter: sfpd.mission.station@sfgov.org
Capt. Greg Corrales: 558-5455
Gregory.Corrales@sfgov.orgIngleside Station: 404-4000
Anonymous Tip Line: 575-4444
Newsletter: sfpd.ingleside.station@sfgov.org
Capt. Louis Cassanego: 404-4030
Louis.Cassanego@sfgov.orgTo file a police report, go to any local station or file online at www.sfgov.org.
To report a crime in progress, call 911. Cell phone users can dial Police Dispatch directly: 415-553-8090.