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.
WHACK A MOLE
Friday, Dec. 14, 2:50 a.m.
Larch at Franklin
The owner of a car heard breaking glass and looked out of the window of his home to see someone rifling through his car and removing various items. After telling his girlfriend to call 911, the man went out to confront the subject and a fight ensued. When officers responded to a call about a male holding down another male, they arrived to find the car’s owner pinning down the subject.
Officers showed the subject how to get into their squad car without having to break a window, and he was transported to Northern Station, where he was booked.
THE CHASE
Saturday, Dec. 15, 2:50 p.m.
Geary at Fillmore
A grab-and-run went all wrong when two male subjects on a bus waited for a scheduled stop, snatched an iPhone from a female victim, and ran off the bus. The victim’s boyfriend also exited and yelled to bystanders about the stolen phone and asked for their help to “stop them.”
Random street crowds are nothing if not obedient to calls for iPhone theft vigilante justice, and they began to crowd around the thieves. About to be cornered, one of the subjects finally dropped the iPhone, then reached toward his waistline, warning the crowd, “I’m going to kill you; let me go or I’ll mess you up.”
The crowd backed off, believing the silver-tongued thief to have a gun and suggesting the victim and her boyfriend let the thieves escape because “you got your phone back.” But the police arrived, took the two male subjects into custody, and transported them to Northern Station, where they were booked.
TOTAL RECALL
Monday, Dec. 17, 12:01 p.m.
100 Block of Polk St.
It’s not what you know, it’s who you know. In the case of a store clerk who cashed a check for a customer a while ago, not knowing the person’s identity cost the store $900 when it turned out to be a bad check. When the same male subject again attempted to cash a stolen check at the store, police officers were called. The subject had told the clerk that he didn’t have identification, but he did have a Social Security number, which later proved to be stolen. Before the officers could arrive, the subject had left the store, but the officers had a good description of him and the direction in which he was heading when he left the store. Within minutes, an officer detained the subject, who had his first encounter with positive identification when the clerk confirmed to police that the subject was the person who tried to cash the stolen check.
The subject, who has a long history of fraud and theft-related charges, was brought to Northern Station, booked, and told about his Miranda rights. Officers found in his backpack numerous I.D. materials and stolen checks. During an interview by the officers, he admitted that he knew the checks were stolen because someone he knows steals
them from mailboxes.
BREAKING BADLY
Tuesday, Dec. 18, 6:33 p.m.
Chestnut at Pierce
Anonymous hotel rooms are the site of many secret activities people wish to remain secret. But when it’s the home base for dealing drugs, it’s hard to keep it a secret for long. Tipped off by an informant that a male subject was selling methamphetamine from a hotel room, plainclothes officers recognized the subject as someone they have arrested in the past for selling meth. They began searching local hotels for the seller, eventually locating what they believed to be the correct hotel after checking with the property’s managers.
A bit better at being secretive than the repeat meth retailer, the offers set themselves up at a distance, where they could view the hotel unit without being seen. Eventually, they spotted the subject leaving the hotel, and they soon had him detained. In his backpack, he had a number of individually bagged portions of meth, marijuana, and packaging material.
The plainclothes officers conducted a probation search of his unit and found additional drugs, scales, and packaging materials, as well as a replica gun. Officers brought the evidence to Northern Station. The narcotics all tested positive in drug field testing.
For his troubles, the seller was rewarded with a trip from the hotel to Northern Station, where he was booked for sales-related violations.
A judge will determine check-out time.
CONSIDERATE CRIMINAL
Tuesday, Jan. 1
1100 Block of Fillmore St.
Rule One: If more lawbreakers could plan their criminal activity to take place near police stations, justice could indeed be swift. When a male ran into Northern Station, he reported that he and his brother were victims of an attack right across the street. His brother lay on the ground, no longer moving and a pool of blood nearby – evidence of the blow to the back of the head he received when the subject ran up to him and knocked him out with one punch. The victim fell to the ground, hitting his head on the sidewalk.
Rule Two: If more lawbreakers would remain at the crime site, it could dramatically reduce high-speed police pursuits. The subject who attacked the brothers was still present, and after the brother identified him to police, the subject removed his shirt, balled up his fists, and took a fighting stance toward the officers. Despite attempts by the officers to calm down the attacker by talking to him, he remained aggressive, displaying signs of alcohol intoxication. After he attempted to punch the officers, he was brought down to the ground and handcuffed without sustaining any injuries.
The victim was treated for his injuries; the attacker was booked at Northern Station, there being no treatment for stupidity.
