Police Blotter.

Northern Station Newsletter:
 Captain Greg McEachern,
February 28, 2013.

Captain’s Comments:
The month of February has seen an increase in crime in both the Northern District and the city. While violent crime has increased only slightly year to date, property crimes continue to rise at a higher rate. Property crimes include Burglaries, Burglaries from Vehicles, Auto Theft, and other related Thefts. In the last newsletter I gave a few tips on auto break-ins that I hope are helpful and can make you more aware of how to avoid becoming a victim. Please keep those tips in mind to assist us in attempting to decrease the property crime rate in the Northern.
In this article are some tips on how to avoid becoming a victim of a violent crime such as a Robbery or an Assault. Here are a few tips:

  1. Use all your senses to be aware of your surroundings at all times. Pay close attention to suspicious activities and persons. Carry yourself with confidence and alertness.
  2. . Avoid using head phones, cell phones, and IPods which limit your ability to be aware of what goes on around you. Thieves target these items to steal. Electronic devices are the most popular item to steal in the world.
  3.  Try to travel with someone, or travel where there are other people around.
  4.  Walk in well lit areas and avoid dark streets and alleys
  5.  Remain alert before exiting and entering your home and vehicles. If you are a victim of a crime try to remember the suspect’s description. Everything that you can recall about the description of the suspect will increase the chance that we can identify and arrest the suspect. If a vehicle is involved, try and remember all the information about the vehicle, but particularly the license plate number. Remain calm and cooperate and notify the police through 911 as soon as possible. The longer you wait to notify the police the less likely the suspect will be arrested.

Here are the Crime Statistics for the Northern District through February 16, 2013
Part 1 (Violent Crimes) +6% Year to date
Part II (Property Crimes) +39% Year to date

Northern Station
NOTES AND EVENTS OF INTEREST FOR FEBRUARY 2013
The Line-Up is a crime prevention tool that allows the public to get involved through social media. The goal is to get the public involved in solving cold case files by watching and identifying video surveillance of suspects committing crimes. Contact information will be listed on the site and the public can be anonymous if they choose. The San Francisco Police Department will be releasing one video per week of suspect(s) involved in a criminal act. Remember, you have the power to make a difference in our community. Be a crime fighter and help us in identifying these criminals. The weekly videos can be accessed at the sf-police.org website and by clicking on the “line-up” icon at the bottom of the first page.
San Francisco Police Foundation
The SFPD is involved in many types of community events, and actively participates in a variety of philanthropies. Groups are always asking the department for donations of money or to provide some level of involvement in their activities. We recently started the San Francisco Police Foundation to help with the funding of many of these requests. If you would like to donate to the Department’s philanthropic endeavors please make checks payable to the SF Police Foundation: Checks can be mailed directly to the following address: San Francisco Police Foundation, C/O Markun, Zusman, & Compton LLP. 465 California Street, SF, CA, 94104. With your help, the Foundation can, and will, make a difference for our City and in the lives of everyone touched by its police officers.
Note: The Northern Station Police Community Relations Forum is held the second Thursday of each month. We meet again Thursday, March 14, 2013 at 6:00pm and will have an open forum.

FOLLOW US ON YOU TUBE:
Click here: Northern Station PSA 2 (crime prevention with focus on car break-ins)
Click here: Northern Station PSA 3 (crime prevention tips with a focus on street robberies)
Click here: Northern Station PSA 4 Part 1 (crime prevention tips with a focus on identity theft)
Click here: Northern Station PSA 4 Part 2 (more on identity theft)
**The officers of Northern Station work hard each and every day to keep the streets safe for everyone. They are making some excellent arrests. Here is a small snapshot of what they are doing. I encourage you to log on to the SFPD website and under ‘compstat’ you will find a link to ‘crime maps’ that will provide very timely crime information and a greater accounting.

Aggravated Assault W/ other Weapon Arrest, 2/14/13 1029Am Unit block of Van Ness
Officers responded to a call for service regarding an assault with a man down and bleeding uncontrollably from the head. Officers arrived as well as SFFD paramedics. A witness reported to the officers that he did not know how the altercation started, but he was watching as a verbal argument between the victim and subject escalated from verbal to physical. The two involved began pushing and shoving one another. The subject turned and struck the victim one time in the head with his skateboard. As the victim fell, he hit his head on a building wall then the ground as he fell. Officers asked the victim if he knew the man that hit him. The victim told them the name of the subject, that they have had altercations in the past, and that the subject has stolen from him in the past. Assisting officers searched for the subject. One officer found a person nearby who matched the description provided by witnesses and was also carrying a skateboard. The victim was transported to the hospital prior to officers detaining the subject. Officers did a photo lineup of different people including the person which had been detained and brought it to the victim at the hospital. The victim picked out the correct subject and he was booked at Northern Station. Witnesses also picked out the subject as the same one that struck the victim. The victim suffered large lacerations to both sides of his head. He was treated at SF General.

Recovered Stolen Vehicle Theft, Possession of Stolen Property Arrest, 2/15/13 10:46 Pm Bay/Larkin
Officers working in plain clothes and driving an unmarked vehicle saw a vehicle parked in the above area. The officers observed four male occupants inside the car. The officers ran a computer check, which revealed that the vehicle was currently reported stolen. The officers requested that marked police units come to the area and affect a traffic stop on the vehicle. The vehicle drove from its parking space and began to travel N/B on Van Ness Ave. The officers followed the car from a distance and continually updated its location and direction of travel. Uniformed officers arrived and were able to pull the car over without further incident. Each of the three occupants were removed, identified and released per 849 (b) PC. The driver (or person in control of the vehicle) was arrested and later booked on the above charges at Northern Station. The driver spontaneously stated, “Man my brother just gave me this car earlier today”.

Burglary other Building, Unlawful Entry, Possession of Stolen Property, Possession of Burglary Tools Arrest, 2/16/13 11:22 Pm 1800 block of Pacific Ave.
Officers received a call for service in the above area. The caller, who was watching from a fifth story window, looked out and saw two dark figures that appeared to be casing homes in the area. The caller watched and provided a good description of the males. The caller watched and described to dispatch how one male was walking back and forth looking up and down the street, apparently acting as a “lookout” while the other male made entry to a home. The officers searched for the subjects and spotted one male hiding behind a car. He would occasionally peek out at the officers. He matched the burglary description as provided by the caller. The subject was quickly detained. The officers noticed that the subject was sweating and appeared very nervous. When the officers handcuffed the male he dropped a receipt with another man’s name on it. Officers know the burglars carry items used to break into homes that can also be used as weapons. The officers pat searched the male. They saw a letter fall from his pocket, which had the address of the home, which the subject had allegedly just left. The officers were approached by another witness who told them that he was inside his building earlier in the day, when he saw the same subject the officer had detained. The witness said that earlier in the day, he asked the subject what he was doing in the building and parking garage area. The subject told the witness to leave in a very colorful way. This witness was sure the subject was the man in his building earlier. The caller came down and also identified the male as the same person he watched enter and leave from a home which had just been broken into. Officers were able to contact the owner of the building that had been burglarized. She told the officers that she was certain that her car, which was parked in the garage, had been rummaged through and some items had been stolen from it. The officers searched the male’s backpack and found numerous items that a burglar would use to break into homes, including a multi code garage door opener, flashlight, screw drivers, a wrench, and a multi tool with multiple cutting bits. The officers found a credit card on the subject, (which had been reported stolen) taken from a locked car just a few days earlier in the same area. The officers had also found numerous pieces of stolen mail in the back pack. The officers used these items to track down the numerous prior crime victims. The subject was later booked into custody at Northern Station.

Robbery W/ Knife, Warrant Arrest, 2/17/13 5:36 Pm 1000 block of Polk St.
Officers from the Northern Station plain clothes, street crimes unit were driving in an unmarked vehicle. They responded to the above area assisting uniformed officers in attempting to locate a subject that had just robbed a patron. The victim was at a restaurant when the subject came in and stole his Iphone at knife point. The plain clothes officers spotted the subject because he matched the description exactly as provided by the victim. The victim came out of the business and told the officers that they had detained the correct person. The victim told officers that the male approached him and asked to use his phone. When the victim refused the subject produced a knife from his pocket and demanded the phone, saying “give me the phone, you don’t wanna get shanked over telephone”. The subject took the phone and left, approx one minute later the subject was detained by officers. The victim described the knife and his phone in detail. Officers conducted a search of the subject and found the phone and knife in his front pockets. The subject spontaneously stated, “I traded the phone with him for drugs”. The phone was returned to its owner and the subject was booked at Northern Station.

Hot Prowl Burglary, Unlawful Entry, Parole Violation, Possession of Stolen Property, Resisting, Obstructing, Delaying Officer in their Duties, Attempting to Escape or Assist Escape Arrest, 2/17/13 1050 Am 700 block of Webster St.
Officers responded to the above area on a citizen calling regarding a subject in an enclosed backyard who was about to break into a residence. As the primary officers approached they saw assisting officers attempting to detain a male that matched the description as provided by the caller. The officer saw the male getting stopped by the assisting officers, then immediately begin running from them. A foot pursuit ensued. The primary officers were in a car and other officers were chasing the subject on foot. The primary officers were following and watched the subject began to drop items that were in his possession, Ipad etc. The officers were able to detain the subject after a short chase. The officers met with the victim at the house where the incident occurred. The victim said that she was upstairs in her house when she saw the subject in her backyard looking into the ground floor rear windows. She looked away to call police then looked back and was unable to see the subject anymore. She went downstairs to investigate and saw the subject running out her front door carrying some of her property. The officers performed a cold show with the victim. The victim told the officers that she was certain that they had the correct person detained. She said “that’s the same clothing, and hair, that’s definitely him, 100%”. The subject had her stolen property Ipad, Laptop computer on his person. The subject attempted to pull away from officers in an attempt to escape arrest. He got away for a few seconds then was again taken into custody. The subject was transported to and booked at Northern Station.

Theft from Locked Vehicle, Possession of Stolen Property Arrest, 2/19/13 1:22 Am 2500 block of Broadway Ave.
Midnight plain clothes officers responded to a call of someone breaking into a vehicle. Upon their arrival, they saw a male that they had arrested in the past sitting in the driver’s seat of the vehicle that was allegedly being broken into. Officers identified themselves and spoke to the subject. He said that the vehicle wasn’t his and he was trying to find a place to spend the night. The officers detained him pending further investigation. The officers ran a computer check on the male and it returned a current felony probation record on him. The officers asked the subject if he had anything dangerous that could hurt them on his person. He said no, but he has an Ipod that he took from a vehicle. The officers discovered numerous items that they believe had been stolen from vehicles, a “crack” pipe, and items that are used by an auto burglar to break in to vehicles. The officers were able to get in touch with the owner of the car that the subject was sitting in. He told them that he had secured his vehicle in front of his house and gone inside several hours ago. The owner was able to identify several items in the subject back pack that belonged to him. The owner did not give anyone permission to enter his locked vehicle and steal his items. The officer was able to track down another victim of the auto booster via finding a name and phone number on the stolen Ipod. The second victim told the officers that his car had been broken into and the Ipod was stolen in recent days. The subject was booked at Northern Station.

Stolen Vehicle, Possession of Stolen Property, Possession of Burglary Tools, Methamphetamine Offense, Probation Violation Arrest, 2/19/13 10:40 Pm Hemlock/Larkin
Midnight plain clothes officers were informed by uniformed patrol officers that there was a suspicious vehicle in the above area. The officers ran a computer check on the license plate and it was not a reported stolen vehicle. They ran a check on the vehicle identification number on the dashboard and the VIN came back to a stolen car. Thieves often steal a front plate from a similar model vehicle, and put it on the rear of the vehicle they just stole, in an attempt to conceal the fact that the vehicle is stolen. The plain clothes officers decided to watch the car for a time, in hopes that the thief would return to the car and they could arrest him/her. After a short amount of time, a male that they knew from prior contacts began walking towards the car. He put his hand in his pocket and the lights of the car flashed. He continued to walk towards the car and enter the driver’s seat. The officers placed their police star on the outside of their clothing. They approached the car and identified themselves. The subject threw the keys to the vehicle in the passenger’s seat and got out. They detained the subject without incident. The officers searched the subject; incident to arrest, and discovered a baggy of methamphetamine, wrench, sparkplug chip, an expandable police style baton, license plate of stolen vehicle, car keys, stolen Ipod. A field test of the suspected methamphetamine was positive. The subject was transported to Northern Station. All involved property and evidence along with the subject was booked at Northern Station. A computer check of the subject showed the subject was currently on probation for similar offenses. The vehicle owner was unavailable and the vehicle had to be towed to police impound.

Vehicle Stolen/Recovered, Warrant Arrest E/R Dept of Corrections, 2/20/13 3:39 Pm Eddy/Franklin
Officers from the Northern Station street crimes unit were in plain clothes and conducting an auto theft, auto burglary suppression operation in the Northern district. They observed a vehicle with no plates (violation 5200 CVC) parked in the above area. The officers pulled over and spoke with the male and female occupants. The officers ran a computer check on the VIN number and names of the occupants. The vehicle had been reported stolen three days prior. The officers had the occupants exit the car. The male in the driver’s seat had numerous warrants for his arrest as well as a no bail parole warrant. The occupants were transported to Northern Station (separately). The male subject was being booked for the above violations. At the booking counter a search of the male revealed two car keys that appeared to have been “shaved”. This type of key sometimes allows the key to operate different vehicles of the same make and model. Having a shaved key is a violation of the law. The officers also found a screwdriver on the subject. Officers know that screwdrivers are often used by auto burglars to gain entry to and start vehicles. Both subjects had warrants for their arrest. The female subject also had warrants for her arrest. They were booked at Northern Station.

Vehicle Burglary Arrest, 2/21/13 4:08 Pm Octavia/Market
Plain clothes officers were working with Northern Station inspectors. They were viewing video of a past auto burglary. The plain clothes officers recognized the subject who was breaking into the car on the video. The break in had just occurred that day. The officers set out to find and arrest the subject. In a matter of hours the officers had found and arrested the male. He was booked for auto burglary at Northern Station.

Street Robbery W/ Force, Possession of Stolen Property, Possession of Burglary Tools Arrest, 2/22/13 3:20 Pm Fillmore/McAllister
Officers responded to a call of a street robbery that had just occurred. The victim said that there were two male juveniles that had taken the victim’s Iphone and headphones. The officers found a security guard who had witnessed the incident. The witness said that he believes the victim got off a bus and moments later he had his phone/headphones ripped off and the subjects ran away. The witness said that he got a good look at the suspect and had a good clothing description of the subject. Additionally the witness said that the subject had a small tattoo under his eye. Officers were able to locate the victim, who was not injured. The victim said that he was waiting for his bus, trying to go to baseball practice and he was listening to music on his phone. The victim said that subject approached him and said, “Give me your phone and bag”. The victim responded “I’m just going to baseball practice”. The subject responded, “Unless you are trying to get shot, give me it”. The subject patted a bulge in his front pocket. The victim said that he looked down and the subject had what could have been a gun in his pocket. He said it was of a similar shape to a hand gun. The victim gave over his headphones. Just then the next scheduled bus arrived interrupting the robbery. The victim was able to get on board and reported the crime to the Muni driver. The subject fled the area. The Muni driver saw the witness (security guard) and directed him to speak with the victim. The bus driver stopped and the victim met with the witness. Meanwhile plain clothes officers who were in the area detained several male juveniles who may have committed the robbery. The officers performed a cold show and the victim pointed out the subject. He said that the clothing, physical description, and small face tattoo. The victim was positive that the officers detained the correct person adding “I’m 100% sure that’s him”. The case was handed over to the Northern Station inspectors. The subject was booked into custody at Northern Station. The subject had the victim’s phone in their pocket. No gun was located.

Malicious Mischief, Graffiti, Conspiracy, Resisting, Delaying, Obstructing Officer in their Duties Arrest, 2/24/13 2:50 Am 1000 block of Geary St.
Officer responded to a call of a possible graffiti incident in the above area. As the officers arrived a security guard directed them to a male who was walking nearby. One officer got out of his patrol car and attempted to speak with the subject. The subject took off running. Officers ordered him to stop and broadcast his clothing description and direction of travel to assisting units. The subject refused to stop and had to be physically restrained when one officer tackled him. No injuries were reported. There were other building security guards who had the two other individuals detained for graffiti as well. The security guards were watching as the three subjects passed a permanent marker back and forth to each other and “tagged” a wall to the building. The subject that wasn’t doing the actual writing would look around as if to avoid being caught in the act, until it was his turn to tag. When they had finished tagging they all stood back and took cell phone pictures of what they did. At this point they split up and two were detained by building security. The officer collected evidence and took photos of the building. The subjects were booked at Northern Station.

OTHER EVENTS:
Monday March 4: 7:00 p.m. Public Safety Meeting. Korean American Center, 745 Buchannan St.
Saturday (on-going): 9:00a.m.-1:00p.m. there is a farmer’s market on O’Farrell Street between Fillmore and Steiner Streets.
Last Tuesday of each month (on-going): Second Chance Legal Clinic. 6pm, 1290 Fillmore Street. Questions, call 415-
814-7610. Bring a recent RAP sheet.
ALERT (Auxiliary Law Enforcement Response Team): The SFPD version of NERT. For more information call 415-832-8419, or email: sfpdalert@sfgov.org.
NERT (Neighborhood Emergency Response Training) Training: To find out the most current class dates and locations or to enroll call 970-2024 or go to: www.sf-fire.org
San Francisco Police Activities League (PAL)
SF PAL is accepting applications now for its 2013-2014 Summer Academy & Internship. Want to learn more check out: http://www.sfpal.org/Cadets

Greg.McEachern@sfgov.org