Welcome to our sort-of-monthly crime and mayhem recap for the Upper Haight. Despite our last roundup being relatively tame for the neighborhood, this month saw an uptick in violent crime, specifically around the entrance to Golden Gate Park. Grab a coffee and settle in. 

News Around the Neighborhood

In the chaos and mayhem file, we start off with yet another gas leak on the Haight infrastructure project. On September 14th, crews working at Haight and Masonic cut a gas line while hand-digging. Some shops were closed for the afternoon, and work resumed after a few days. For those not taking notes at home, we made you a handy timeline of all the incidents that have happened since the project's inception in April 2015. 

There was also an early-morning fire at an apartment building at Haight and Clayton on September 28th. One person was treated for smoke inhalation and other injuries, but residents were otherwise unscathed. 

On September 24th, a man robbed Distractions by slipping behind their counter and making his way to their offices, where he grabbed a bag of cash and fled on foot. The same man had previously crept into the back room at Held Over, but was caught and kicked out before he could steal anything. Earlier in the week, the man also allegedly tried to get into the back rooms at Mendel's, Love Street Vintage, and Headrush, but was unsuccessful.

In a charming twist, KRON4 reports that the suspect accidentally dropped the bag of cash he stole from Distractions at the Ashbury corner, and a group of homeless kids on the corner picked up the cash bag and returned "every cent" to owner Jim Siegel, who was "very impressed" by the act of kindness. The thief also dropped his phone, which is now in police possession. 

Haight & Stanyan Crimes Continue

As for violent crime, the neighborhood saw an uptick this month, with the western end of Haight Street seeing most of the action. 

On September 17th, there was a stabbing around midnight outside of Laguna Cafe, the hookah bar near the corner of Haight and Stanyan. Three men surrounded a 19-year-old man, stabbed him with a knife, and fled through the McDonald's parking lot without being apprehended. 

On September 29th, also near Haight and Stanyan, there was an altercation between two males, which most likely started as a robbery. The two scuffled, wound up on the ground, and the suspect ran off. At that point, the victim realized he'd been stabbed in the leg. Both the suspect and victim were taken to the hospital, and the suspect is now in custody.

On October 8th, there was a robbery by force at the very same intersection, around 10pm. A 23-year-old male was attacked by "several males," only one of whom he could describe. They kicked and punched him until he was unconscious, and then fled with his cell phone, wallet, head phones, ID, debit card, and cash. The suspects have not been apprehended. 

That corner has seen quite a bit of recent crime. Here's a timeline: 

• Victim In Critical Condition After Haight & Stanyan Stabbing (10/7/13)
• Shooting Reported At Haight  Stanyan (6/18/14)
• Man Stabbed, Cop Bit By Dog At Haight & Stanyan (5/11/15)
• Man Shot Near Haight & Stanyan Whole Foods (9/30/15)
• 2 Men Stabbed, 1 Fatally, At Haight & Stanyan (12/14/15)
• Man Shot In Forearm Near Troubled Haight & Stanyan Intersection (1/5/16)
• Dog, Skateboard Involved In Yet Another Haight & Stanyan Stabbing (1/7/16)
• Body Discovered In Golden Gate Park's Alvord Lake (5/24/16)
• Man In Critical Condition After Stabbing On Hippie Hill (6/21/16)
• Stabbing, Shooting Strike District 5 On Friday Night (9/17/16)

At last week's Park Station meeting, Captain Sanford was asked why there was so much violent crime at Haight and Stanyan, given its proximity to Park Station headquarters. Sanford said substance abuse and transient populations were contributing factors, noting that many suspects the station has apprehended at the notorious intersection had no idea that it's a few hundred feet away from a police station.

Other Notable Crimes

Further out in Golden Gate Park, near Sharon Meadow, seven men in their 20s and 30s jumped and mugged a 39-year-old man, beat him, and stole his jewelry on October 4th at 1:40pm. The victim refused treatment, and the suspects are still at large.

Up near Buena Vista, there was yet another robbery by force on October 7th. Two male suspects in their 20s hit a victim with a pole and stole his bag, laptop, and cell phone. The suspects fled the scene and have not been apprehended. 

And of course, there was the regular spate of car break-ins and thefts, most of them occurring just inside Golden Gate Park. 

October's Park Station meeting just happened, but you can catch next month's on Tuesday, November 8th at 6pm. 

If you've got any additional crime and mayhem to report in the neighborhood, don't forget to send us a tip here, or text us a tip at (415) 200-3233.