Periodically, Hoodline's Financial District and North Beach coverage will present a roundup of recent crimes and injuries in the area. Though not comprehensive of all crimes committed in the area, it should serve as a brief snapshot of recent activity to help locals stay informed.
As always, Capt. David Lazar of SFPD's Central Station posted his Captain's Newsletter and crimes of note on the SFPD Central website. This past week, he talked about the April 5th home invasion and robbery of a 92-year-old woman in Chinatown and gives tips on staying safe.
"The suspect was able to enter the building by following someone in," he wrote. "Those who live in multi-unit buildings must be mindful to not let anyone they do not know follow them in. If a person feels intimidated, they should immediately phone the police."
Also, the suspect tried every door until he found one unlocked. "If a person lives in a multi-unit building, even if they feel comfortable with their neighbors, they should still lock their unit regardless if they are home," Capt. Lazar wrote. Thanks to surveillance cameras and sharp police work, the suspect was arrested two days later.
Capt. Lazar also holds a community meeting from 6–7pm the third Thursday of the month at rotating locations around the district. This month's meeting will be on April 16th at the Hyatt Regency San Francisco, at 50 Drumm St.
Here are some of the incidents and latest nefarious doings in our midst, culled from daily recaps emailed by the SFPD:
A 43-year-old man was stabbed once in the lower back at 10:30pm in the unit block of Ferry Plaza on April 3rd. The weapon was a "sharp curved object 5 to 6 inches long", according to SFPD. The man was stretching at the end of the pier at the Ferry Plaza when a 46-year-old man approached him out of nowhere and assaulted him with the sharp object.
Police know the suspect's age because he and the victim have a "history of encounters with one another," according to SFPD spokesman Albie Esparza. The suspect fled along the Embarcadero, and the victim was transported to San Francisco General Hospital with a non-life-threatening injury. No arrest was made.
At 12:35am on April 4th in the 600 block of Union Street, a 38-year-old man set cardboard on fire outside of a public toilet and attempted to pry the door open with a metal object while another man, age 40 to 45, was in the restroom. The suspect was arrested.
At 4am on April 5th at Grant and Washington streets, a 24-year-old man was punched out by another man, lost consciousness, and awoke to find his wallet and cell phone missing. He suffered a chipped tooth and facial swelling and was transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
A 53-year-old male Muni cable car operator hopped off the cable car and was struck by a vehicle at 10:36am on April 6th in the 1100 block of Powell Street. He was taken to San Francisco General Hospital with life-threatening injuries. Mindy Talmadge of SFFD said someone called in to report seeing the man crawling out from under the vehicle that hit him. No further information is available about his condition.
A fire fighter was injured at 2:42pm on April 6th in a restaurant fire at 1416 Powell St., according to this article on the San Francisco Appeal. The address is home to Lai Hong Dim Sum. The fire fighter lost consciousness, fell and hit his head, according to the article. He was transported to the hospital.
At 11pm April 7th at Jackson and Powell streets, a suspect approached a 24-year-old man and hit him in the face, and then stole his wallet, money and an MP3 player. The victim was transported to San Francisco General Hospital with non-life-threatening abrasions to his head.
A man was robbed at gunpoint at 1:14am on April 10th at the Embarcadero and Broadway Street. Three men pointed two handguns at the 35-year-old man and then punched him numerous times while they stole his smart phone and camera. He suffered non-life-threatening injuries, including a bloody nose and face, and was transported to St. Francis Hospital. The suspects fled, and no arrests were made.
If you'd like to learn more or talk with police about local crime happenings, remember to stop in at Central Station's monthly community meeting at 6pm this Thursday, April 16th at the Hyatt Regency (50 Drumm St.).
