NICE WORK, MR. BANK TELLER
Feb. 4, 5:30 p.m.
Van Ness Avenue at Pacific
A bank called the police regarding a person trying to cash a fraudulent check. The bank stalled the supposed customer until police arrived. The suspect was taken into custody. The same subject also was reported to have cashed stolen checks the day before. The victim whose checks were being cashed had just returned from vacation to find her home burglarized.

A KEY WITNESS HELPS OUT
Feb. 5, 7:01 p.m.
Van Ness Avenue at California
Officers responded to a call about someone keying cars. Officers located a suspect matching the description in the area. The witness confirmed that they had the correct suspect. The officers located a pair of scissors on the suspect, which was used to damage the cars. The witness relayed that he watched the suspect damage five cars near Van Ness and California. If anyone has been the victim of a random keying incident, this should provide some satisfaction. Thanks to the willing citizen and the officers’ quick response, the suspect only damaged five cars.
 
ONE LESS DRUNK ON THE ROAD
Feb. 6, 10:35 p.m.
Lombard Street at Fillmore
A citizen reported a drunk driver crashing into cars while trying to leave a parking lot. Officers arrived and saw the suspect in his car stuck on a chain that closes off the parking lot. The officers made contact with the driver. He slurred his speech and smelled of alcohol. The officers had the driver exit the car and performed field sobriety tests. The driver failed miserably. They placed him under arrest and had him take a breath test. The results showed that the driver was well over twice the legal limit. Luckily, he was too drunk to get out of that parking lot and the officers arrived in time.

THE HARDER THEY FALL
Feb. 10, 3:45 p.m.
Van Ness Avenue at Washington
Plainclothes officers responded to a call of a domestic violence situation inside a commercial store. The responding officers made contact with the victim inside the store. The victim pointed to a male trying to leave through an emergency exit (he obviously realized that the police were there.) The officers told the suspect to stop. The suspect began to run through the store and around objects in the store to avoid being stopped by the police. The police were able to grab hold of the suspect’s shirt, but it ripped off and the suspect was able to run out of the store. The police chased the suspect for a couple of blocks and caught up to him. They took him to the ground, but the suspect didn’t give up. He continued to fight with the officers. The two plainclothes officers were locked in a violent struggle with the suspect for at least a minute or two before backup arrived. The officers suffered several scrapes and a bite wound as a result of the struggle. Backup finally arrived and the suspect was taken into custody. The suspect had outstanding warrants for his arrest as well. After he was medically cleared (he had minor injuries), he was booked for a series of charges.

NO GPS NEEDED ON THIS TRIP
Feb. 11, 3:15 a.m.
Steiner Street at Green
Our victim was walking to her car when she noticed a person leaning against her vehicle. They made eye contact as the victim approached. She looked down at the suspect and believed that he was holding a gun in his hand. Scared for her safety, the victim continued walking past the suspect. She made it to the corner and looked back. She watched as the suspect pulled a bike out of the bushes. She watched the suspect drop something, and then ride off toward Lombard. She called the police. When the officers arrived, they saw that the victim’s convertible top had been cut. The victim stated that the damage was new and that her GPS was missing. A sergeant located a suspect that matched the description on Lombard. The victim positively identified the suspect. The officers found the victim’s GPS near the location where the suspect was detained. The officers never located a gun on the suspect, but this criminal was taken to jail on some serious charges.

DRIVING IN A SNOW STORM
Feb. 13, 4 a.m.
California Street at Van Ness
Officers stopped a vehicle for having an expired registration tag. When they made contact with the driver, they noticed a white powder all over his shirt. It was obvious to the officers that the suspect had just spilled cocaine on his shirt. The officers placed the suspect under arrest. They searched his person and vehicle and found there was more cocaine on him and in the vehicle. It was jail time for this unregistered, cocaine-using driver.

FIGHTING FOR CHANGE
Feb. 17, 12:25 p.m.
Chestnut Street at Divisadero
A neighbor called to report that three homeless individuals appeared to be trying to break into a coin machine in a Laundromat. An officer responded and found two homeless-appearing individuals involved in a fight. He separated the two and found one to have an outstanding warrant for his arrest. It did not appear to the officer that anyone had broken into a coin machine. The one individual was placed under arrest for his warrant.

Incident reports listed here are based on witness statements as recorded by the reporting officers and are compiled by Cow Hollow Clyde.