Here's our latest recap of some recent crimes and injuries in the Financial District, North Beach and adjoining neighborhoods, as reported by SFPD sources. Though not meant to be comprehensive, it should serve as a brief snapshot of recent activity, to help locals stay informed. We'll also occasionally include snippets from SFPD Central Station Capt. David Lazar's newsletter.

Yet another necklace grab was reported in Chinatown, this one on the 800 block of Clay Street at 1:59pm June 12th. A woman in her sixties was walking eastbound on Clay when a man in his twenties approached and snatched her necklace, causing pain and irritation in her chest. Her injuries were non-life-threatening, and she refused transport for medical care. 

The theft of necklaces has been an unfortunate trend in the neighborhood of late. "A lot of the women [in Chinatown] wear pure gold necklaces, especially the older women. They like to wear 24-karat. That [makes them] a target," said Wilma Pang, Chinatown community advocate and candidate for District 3 supervisor. She said many women wear their finest, purest gold and jade when attending banquets and parties, and "thieves know their jewelry is valuable."

Pang notes that Central Station's Capt. Lazar has warned women at his community meetings to hide their necklaces when walking around. He hosts the bilingual meetings in English and Chinese at 4pm on the first Tuesday of each month, in the Portsmouth Square activity room. English-only community meetings are held at 6pm on the third Thursday of each month, in rotating locations around the district.

In other crime news this week, a 77-year-old woman was struck and killed by a man driving a silver truck at Clay and Kearny streets, next to Chinatown's Portsmouth Square. The incident occurred at 6pm on June 17th. Tim Pak Wong, 59, was cited and released for failing to yield to a pedestrian in the crosswalk, and charged with misdemeanor manslaughter.

Here's the latest on neighborhood thefts:

At 1:20pm on June 15th, a 38-year-old woman was walking near Sutter and Sansome streets in the FiDi when a man in his early thirties ran up and grabbed a folder-type bag she was carrying, with paperwork in it. She chased him, caught up with him and attempted to get her property back, but the man pushed her to the ground and fled in an unknown direction. She was not injured.

A 32-year-old man had his smartphone stolen in the early afternoon on the unit block of Stockton Street near Union Square. Two men, about 22–24 years old, approached him as he was looking at the phone, and tried to rip it from his hands. The man struggled with one suspect over the phone, but the suspect finally got it. The victim started to chase after the thief, but the second suspect grabbed him and knocked him to the ground. He was not injured.

A taxi driver was robbed at gunpoint at 2:20am on June 17th, in the 600 block of Montgomery Street in the FiDi. The 34-year-old male driver picked up a man about 20–32 years old who was headed to Oakland. According to the driver, the man stole his smartphone and money before fleeing on foot. The driver wasn't injured.

A 35-year-old man was walking through Aquatic Park (specifically, the 2900 block of Hyde Street) at 9pm on June 17th when he passed a group of about 20 people. Five of them, all men in the 20–30 age range, broke away from the group, with two going in front of the victim and three behind him. One suspect had a knife and demanded property. The victim gave them his cell phone and $80. He was not injured.

Also in Fisherman's Wharf, a man, 19, was robbed of his cell phone and laptop at 12:16am on June 18th, on the 1300 block of Columbus Avenue. Four men, age 17–20, approached him and demanded money. The victim tried to fight back, and the four men assaulted him, took his property and fled the scene on foot. The man suffered bruising to his forehead and complained of pain to his face, and was transported to California Pacific Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries.