Police Blotter

Crime on the Beat

As we head into the summer months, Northern Station Captain Greg McEachern reports that crime in this district continues to be lower than at the same time last year. “However, we have traditionally seen crime increase as the weather warms up and the days become longer, so please continue to be vigilant about protecting yourselves and your property,” he warns.

Here’s how the crime rates compare, from April 2013 to April 2014.

Homicide, citywide: down 58%
Homicide, Northern District: down 50%
Rape, citywide: up 6%
Rape, Northern District: up 31%
Robbery, citywide: down 25%
Robbery, Northern District: down 33%
Auto theft, citywide: up 10%
Auto theft, Northern District: up 17%
Arson, citywide: down 5%
Arson, Northern District: up 22%

The crimes below are a small snapshot of what the officers of Northern Station are doing. For a more comprehensive list, visit www.sf-police.org; under Compstat, there is a link to CrimeMAPS.


May 3, 4:52 a.m.
Buchanan at Pacific Streets

A witness told officers that he had seen someone break the window of a Toyota Prius. The witness yelled at the subject, who fled. Officers searched for the male subject, but instead they found two females hiding behind bushes near the Prius. Officers noticed a set of ski goggles, a flashlight, and a set of “shaved” keys, which are commonly used by criminals to unlock vehicles.

The female subjects told the officers that they live in Daly City, don’t have a car, and were in town visiting a friend who lived nearby. However, they could not provide an address for the friend. A computer check revealed that the subjects were on probation for auto burglary. A search of them found items that are typically used to break auto glass.

The witness said the subjects weren’t the ones he spotted breaking the glass but that they “were around it” after the breaking. The subjects were handcuffed and taken to Northern Station. The owners of the Prius were contacted.


May 4, 12:55 a.m.
2000 Block of Chestnut Street

A bouncer at a local bar watched a group of three men walk away after they had been escorted out of the bar. One of the men jumped from the sidewalk up onto the hood of a nearby parked vehicle, causing the hood to partially cave in. The bouncer detained the man and called the police. The subject told the officers when they arrived, “I’m really drunk and I fell on the car.” He was booked at Northern Station.


May 4, 12:45 p.m.
Steiner at Geary Streets

Officers responded to a report of an auto burglary; they were given the descriptions of the two male subjects (including that they were carrying a yellow bag) as well as their direction of flight. The officers quickly detained one of the subjects, recognizing him from numerous prior auto burglary arrests. Witnesses identified the subject as the auto burglar, and police were able to contact the car’s owner, who arrived and said her yellow purse had been stolen from the car.

The first subject was booked at Northern Station. The second subject was not apprehended and got away with the purse. It’s yellow.


May 9, 5:20 p.m.
Divisadero at Lombard Streets

A husband and wife contacted police to report harassment by a subject with a heavy build. Officers located the person matching the description and clothing given by the caller. The subject told the officers that he hadn’t done anything wrong and that they should leave him alone.

The female victim refused to return to the scene, but she did meet an officer one block away, where she explained what had happened. She said that she and her husband were exiting their car when the subject approached her, swearing and yelling at her for no reason. The husband was holding their baby, and when the subject approached the husband, yelling and pointing his finger, the couple walked away and called 911.

Police ran a computer check on the subject and found an active vandalism warrant for $10,000. He was booked at Northern Station.


May 12, 5:46 a.m.
Hemlock at Polk

As officers arrived to look into a reported auto burglary in progress, they were discretely flagged down by a witness. He pointed out a female subject who was walking away from the officers quickly. The victim said the female subject and a male companion had stolen two of his cell phones from the vehicle; the officers detained the female subject and found the cell phones.

Though the witness said it was the male subject who had actually broken into the car, he was not located. The female subject told officers that she was just “holding” the phones for him. She was booked at County Jail.

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