In this week's SFPD Central Station newsletter, Capt. David Lazar reminds people of the Central Station monthly community meeting from 6–7pm Thursday, December 17th at Hotel Rex, 562 Sutter St. The Department of Public Health will be the guest speaker presenting on underage smoking, and Capt. Lazar will provide a crime report and field questions from the community.
He also reminds people that Saturday is SantaCon, for which he's setting up a "sobering center" near the station this year instead of arresting those who are drunk in public.
He writes, "For those who are intoxicated, friendly and cooperative, they will have an opportunity to spend time with the Public Health Staff instead of the staff at County Jail."
Capt. Lazar also recaps some great arrests of suspects in package thefts, vehicles and bikes.
Photo: Antoine Imbert/Flickr
Now for the previous week's crime recaps:
Man knocked to ground, passes out after argument
A 27-year-old man got into a verbal argument with four men at 1:45am December 5th on the 500 block of Broadway in North Beach. One knocked him to the ground, causing a cut to his head and loss of consciousness. He was taken to the hospital.
Man robbed of gold chain, wallet
A man wearing a face mask robbed a man, age 47, at 3:20am December 5th on the 600 block of Powell Street in Union Square. The victim was standing on the sidewalk in front of location when the suspect approached him and demanded his property. The suspect then brandished a knife and grabbed a gold chain from the victim's neck, who then handed over his wallet.
Suspicious backpack reported
Officers responded to a call about an unattended backpack on the border of Russian Hill and Nob Hill at 9:15am December 5th. The Explosive Ordnance Disposal team responded and the backpack was deemed safe.
Another suspicious package reported on ferry
Another suspicious package was reported at 12:06pm December 6th at a ferry terminal on the Embarcadero near Market Street. A man, 40, noticed a man, age 30–40, carry a small case on board a ferry in Sausalito. When the ship docked in San Francisco, the man left without taking the case. Another employee attempted to flag the suspect down, but he ran off on the Embarcadero. It was discovered the case carried only a small voice recording device. SFPD Bomb K-9 arrived to conduct a sweep of all ferry ships, with negative results.
Trio of muggers attacks trio of victims
At 1:55pm December 5th, two women, both age 23, and one woman, age 26, were walking near Powell and Market streets in Union Square when they were surrounded by a man in his twenties and two women, age 25–30. The trio attacked the three victims. One suspect threw a victim onto the ground and kicked her while another suspect grabbed one of the victim's cell phones. The suspects fled the scene on foot. One victim suffered a bruised eye and sought medical care on her own.
Man robbed on way to bank
A man, age 24, was walking to the bank at 3:30am December 6th on the 400 block of Post Street in Union Square when he was robbed with force by two men of his smart phone, credit cards and money. He wasn't injured.
Man injured in struggle to keep cell phone
On the border of Chinatown and North Beach, on the 600 block of Pacific Avenue, a man was grabbed and robbed at 2:20am December 10th. The victim, age 40, was standing in front of a house when a man, age 25–35, approached him from behind, bear-hugged him and kneed him to the ground. The two struggled on the ground, and the suspect stole the victim's cell phone and fled the scene. The victim suffered a cut to his back, but wasn't taken to the hospital.
Chance Davis, ak/a Mara Paradox. (Photo via the Lubbock County Sheriff's Department)
Tattooed transgender person terrorizes salon
In case you missed our earlier report, a person with with tattoos all over his/her face and even the whites of his/her eyes terrorized the owners, employees and customers of John Velasquez Salon (440 Jackson St.) in Jackson Square around 9:45am Thursday by smashing the glass out of the front door and attempting to light a fire outside.
John Velsquez Salon. (Photo: Geri Koeppel/Hoodline)
SFPD and witnesses identified the suspect to us as a man named Chance Davis, but further digging by one of our commenters revealed a news report on mySan Antonio saying a person with unmistakably similar tattoos is also known as Mara Paradox, a glass-eating Venice Beach Freak Show performer who has undergone a gender transition. S/he was arrested in Lubbock, Texas, in September for possession of marijuana. Davis/Paradox was taken to the hospital with injuries and will face felony charges of burglary, vandalism and terrorist threats, along with a misdemeanor for resisting arrest, according to Capt. Lazar.
Driver carjacked while getting luggage out of the trunk
A man who left a car running while he got luggage out of the trunk was carjacked at 11am December 10th on Francisco and Montgomery streets in the Embarcadero neighborhood. The victim, age 69, pulled his black sedan to the curb to let out a passenger. He went to trunk to retrieve luggage and left the car running. A man in his late twenties or early thirties got into the vehicle. While he was attempting to drive away, the victim tried to stop him, but the suspect pushed the man to the ground and drove away heading westbound on Francisco to northbound Kearny Street.
Late-night mugging sends man to hospital
At 1am December 11th at Post and Montgomery streets in the FiDi, two men and a woman, all about ages 18–20, approached a 23-year-old man and assaulted him, causing him to lose consciousness and causing a cut on his brow. The suspects stole his backpack and laptop, and the victim was taken to the hospital in stable condition.
