FiDi & North Beach Crime: Armed Teen Robbers Arrested, Attempted Arson, MoreFerry Building on the Embarcadero. | Photo: Bruce Turner/Flickr
Nathan Falstreau
Published on December 18, 2017

Time for another look at crime in SFPD's Central District, which includes Chinatown, Financial District, Embarcadero, Russian, Telegraph and Nob Hills, North Beach, and Union Square.

In this week's Central Station newsletter, Captain Paul Yep writes that the 2017 holiday season "Safe Shopper" program is running throughout the month of December and will conclude on January 8th.

The program—which operates from 11am–8pm daily—is an increased presence of uniformed officers "patrolling on foot in areas where many shoppers and tourists will be completing their Holiday Shopping," said Yep.

The areas with heightened presence in Central Station's precinct include "Powell Street, Ellis to Geary Streets, Geary to Mason Streets, the greater Union Square area, the Ferry Building/Justin Herman Plaza, and the greater North Beach area."

Here are some of the incidents that have taken place since our last biweekly report. Unless otherwise noted, all reports are drawn from SFPD's summary.

Suspects brandish gun, steal woman's purse

On December 13th at 10:30pm near the corner of Pacific Avenue and Mason Street in Russian Hill, a robbery occurred. 

Two unknown male suspects approached a 48-year-old woman and "threatened her with a gun," said police. Out of fear, the victim handed her purse to the suspects, who subsequently fled in an unknown vehicle. The purse contained cash, credit cards, and her wallet. 

Hot prowlers enter sleeping victim's home

A hot prowl burglary occurred December 13th at 3am on the 1400 block of Jones Street in Nob Hill. 

A 31-year-old woman was asleep in her bedroom when she heard a noise in her home. She then heard two male suspects in their 30s run out the front door. When she looked out her window, she saw the suspects get into a vehicle and fled. The front door was left ajar. 

It's not clear what was stolen in the incident and no arrests were made. 

Victim assaulted and robbed at ATM

Just after midnight on December 13th near the intersection of Broadway and Columbus Avenue in North Beach, another robbery occurred. 

Two women in their 20s approached a 50-year-old man who was using an ATM and assaulted him. The suspects took his wallet and cell phone before fleeing on foot in an unknown direction. 

The victim was transported to a hospital after sustaining non-life-threatening injuries. 

Suspect lights mail on fire, pushes it under building door

On December 12th at 6am, police responded to reports of a fire on the unit block of Ross Alley in Chinatown. 

A 65-year-old man reported that he smelled smoke and noticed a male suspect in his 50s on his porch. The suspect was allegedly lighting mail on fire and pushing the lit envelopes under the door. The victim "kicked the mail" and then chased the suspect. No loss or injuries were reported in the incident. 

Teens arrested after armed robbery

A robbery at gunpoint occurred on December 11th just after 11pm near the corner of Powell and California Streets in Nob Hill. 

Two 15-year-old males were in the vicinity when two other other teenagers, both about 17-years-old, approached and brandished a handgun. The robbers demanded their cell phones and the victims complied.

The suspects then fled on foot, but, police located them near Market and 7th Streets and took them into custody. It's not clear from reports if the two cell phones were recovered. 

Woman assaulted and robbed by four teens

On December 5th, near the corner of Washington and Drumm on the Embarcadero, a 42-year-old woman was robbed by force at 3:05pm.

Four juveniles between the ages of 12–15 approached the victim and pulled her to the ground. They stole her cell phone, credit cards, and ID, and then fled the scene on foot. The victim suffered non-life-threatening injuries but refused transport to a hospital. 

Man robbed at gunpoint in Chinatown

A 20-year-old male suspect approached a 49-year-old man near Washington and Stone Streets in Chinatown just before 11pm on December 3rd. 

The suspect pointed a gun at the victim and demanded his property while another male suspect in his twenties watched. The victim handed over his cell phone and cash and the suspects fled the scene. No arrests have been made. 

Central Station's next community meeting will be held on December 21st, from 5-6pm at Cathay Post (1524 Powell St. between Green and Vallejo).

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