It's time again to recount some recent crimes and injuries in the Financial District and North Beach areas 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.
In Capt. Lazar's newsletter of June 4th, he wrote, "With the increase in tourists now arriving, we have seen an increase in auto burglaries in Russian Hill—specifically around Lombard Street. We are working to address this problem and hoping to work with the City on signage. The plainclothes team makes arrests weekly in this area." Let it serve as a reminder to locals not to leave anything in your car, lest you suffer the dreaded break-in. Capt. Lazar also noted that Central Station issued 33 citations to drivers for failing to yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk on June 3rd at Sansome and Green streets.
After a rash of "hot prowl" burglaries in May, so called because an intruder enters an occupied building, another happened between 9–9:15am on June 1st on the 1400 block of Grant Avenue in North Beach. A 66-year-old woman got up to use restroom and left the water running while her husband remained in bed asleep. Fifteen minutes later, she returned to notice numerous items missing from her home, including her handbag, wallet, sunglasses and gift certificates. She found the kitchen window wide open where scaffolding was connected. There was no description of the suspect, who fled in an unknown direction.
In more crime news, the Gateway Apartments (460 Davis Ct.) heard some excitement on the morning of June 3rd as SFPD tracked down a stolen delivery truck that had just been taken from Pier 43. SFPD arrested the driver before 9am and the truck was returned. Read the full story.
A 58-year-old man was robbed at gunpoint on Bush and Taylor streets at 6:05pm June 3rd. The suspect approached the victim, pointed the gun and demanded money. The victim handed over the money and the suspect fled.
At 10:27pm on June 3rd at Powell and Market streets, a woman approached a 21-year-old woman, struck her in the face with her fist, grabbed her cell phone and shoes and fled the scene. The victim suffered pain to the face, but refused treatment.
Officers observed a construction sign on fire at Market and 4th streets at 11:40pm June 3rd. There were no suspects in the case.
Another port-a-potty was set ablaze, this one at 5:10am on June 4th on the 300 Block of Post Street. A security guard opened the door to the potty and discovered a man setting newspapers on fire. The suspect fled the scene. (In related news, SFPD on May 31st arrested Albert Sodini, 51, a resident of San Francisco, for an arson of a portable toilet that occurred on the 2500 block of Clay Street.)
Finally, a man told a witness at Justin Herman Plaza at 10:48pm on June 4th that he'd been stabbed. He was transported to San Francisco General Hospital with non-life-threatening wounds and was unable to give any details to responding officers.
