Castro Recent Crime Roundup

Castro Recent Crime RoundupPhoto: alancleaver/flickr
Roy
Published on December 23, 2014
Here is a roundup of some recent Castro-area crime news, plus a story about notorious '70s-era serial killer The Doodler.

Robbery with force
Two men attacked a 45-year-old man at approximately 1:50am Sunday morning near 19th and Hartford. One suspect grabbed the victim's cell phone and punched him before taking his wallet and fleeing the scene. Police have no suspects yet.

#CastroFlamer strikes again
The #CastroFlamer arsonist has apparently struck again. On Sunday morning around 3am, police responded to another vehicle fire near 18th and Hartford. Police are investigating the fire as a possible arson. We reported last week that police and fire crews responded to four early morning car fires in the area last Wednesday.

Noe Street Tree Menace
Supervisor Scott Wiener posted a video to Facebook on Wednesday showing a man apparently destroying a young tree on Noe between 17th and 18th for no obvious reason. Wiener calls for greater police presence in the area, stating that 'allowing an "anything goes" criminal atmosphere for smaller crimes leads to more serious crimes.'

Door-to-door Wreath Vandal
Over on NextDoor, multiple Duboce Triangle residents report a young man going door-to-door asking for "votes." When the residents decline, the man gets agitated and rips the wreath off their front doors. This has happened to at least two residents, while a third reports two girls knocking on her door with a similar vote-seeking spiel. 

The Doodler
Finally, the Awl has a great post recapping the little known story of one of San Francisco's most notorious serial killers of the 1970s, The Doodler. The Doodler's M.O. was to flirt with men at Castro bars by drawing pictures of them, then taking them to more intimate locations and stabbing them and dumping their bodies at the waterfront or in parks. The case of the Doodler remains unsolved.