Here's our regular Saturday update on crime and safety news in the city's northern neighborhoods.
In this week's SFPD Central Station newsletter, Capt. David Lazar reminded locals to be mindful of their cell phones. "I know that I have mentioned this before, but quite often, we receive reports from citizens about their cell phone being taken right out of their hand by a suspect who takes off running or on a bicycle," he wrote.
He added that a woman almost ran into him while walking in the neighborhood because she was so engrossed in her phone. "Please safeguard your cell phone, and pay close attention to your surroundings," he urges.
Also, Capt. Lazar encouraged locals to save two dates for National Night Out: August 2nd at the Salesian Boys’ and Girls’ Club in North Beach, and September 6th at Portsmouth Square in Chinatown.
Finally, the Captain mentioned an illegal fireworks sting in Chinatown, leading up to the Fourth of July celebration. "Officers did an outstanding job, led by Lt. Brien Hoo, on this year’s enforcement in Chinatown," he writes. To learn more about the enforcement, watch the news clip here.
And now for your weekly crime roundup, culled from SFPD reports from Central Station.
Man robbed of bag of clothing
On July 1st at 10:50pm, on the 400 block of Geary Street in Union Square, a man invited two other men, aged 20 and 25, to his house after meeting them at a bar. The suspects then threatened the victim, took a bag filled with his clothing, and fled in an unknown direction.
Victim robbed of camera on crooked street
A man taking pictures of the crooked street at Lombard and Hyde in Russian Hill was robbed on July 2nd at 12:03am. The man, 36, was approached by an unknown suspect wearing a bandana over his face, who grabbed the victim's camera. A struggle ensued, but the suspect was able to nab the camera and got into an awaiting white, four-door car with paper plates, which fled south-bound on Hyde Street.
80-year-old woman loses wallet, cash in hot prowl burglary
A hot prowl burglary occurred at 3:30pm on July 2nd, on the 700 block of Broadway Street in Chinatown. A woman, 80, was sleeping with her front door left unlocked, and when she awoke, the suspect, a man age 20-30, was standing in her room, taking her wallet and cash. He then fled out the front door.
Drug sale proposition leads to theft
A man, 47, was walking on the 700 block of Post Street in Lower Nob Hill on July 3rd at 9:43pm, when a male suspect, 35-40, approached him and asked if he wanted to buy drugs. The victim said no and started to walk away. The suspect then followed the man, tried to get into his building and grabbed his cell phone. The victim struggled to hold onto the phone, but the suspect was able to take it and fled the scene.
Fireworks lit outside of nightclub
On July 5th, on the 400 block of Broadway in North Beach, a man, 33, lit fireworks outside of a nightclub around 12:26am. A bouncer at the club was able to detain the suspect until officers arrived and took him into custody.
Woman scolds man for breaking into house, eating her food
A woman, 62, went to work on July 7th and was gone from 7:30am – 10:50pm. When she returned to her home on the 3000 block of Polk Street in Russian Hill, she found a man, 40-50, eating food in her kitchen. The victim then lectured the suspect for 20 minutes and took a picture of him. The suspect told her how he got into her house, then fled on foot.
Cell phone theft leads to arrest
A man, 31, was walking near 4th and Market streets in Union Square on July 7th at 4:16pm, when a 14-year-old suspect grabbed his cell phone from his hand and fled. The victim followed the suspect, and officers were able to arrive on the scene and take him into custody.
