Police Beat

Police Beat is a monthly roundup of crimes and other police incidents in Noe Valley, which is defined as the area bordered by Grand View, 21st, Fair Oaks, and 30th streets. The following crime summaries were culled from incident reports filed at Mission and Ingleside police stations in April 2003.
Burglary of Apartment House: Between 8 a.m. and 5:45 p.m. on Friday, April 4; 500 block of 29th Street
The resident of an apartment building in the 500 block of 29th Street near Noe left for work at 8 a.m. on Friday, April 4. When he returned at 5:45 p.m., he discovered that two cameras and a pair of binoculars were missing from his home. Police saw no signs of forced entry, but found an open back window. Because the resident had cleaned up the home before police arrived, Crime Scene Investigations was not notified. The case has been assigned to the San Francisco Police Department's Burglary Detail.
Residential Burglary: Between 6:15 and 11 p.m. on Sunday, April 6; 500 block of Valley Street
A resident left his home in the 500 block of Valley Street near Castro at 6:15 p.m. on Sunday, April 6. When he returned at 11 p.m., he discovered that an unknown suspect had smashed the bathroom skylight, entered the home, and taken $90, two cameras, two laptop computers, a Palm Pilot, several pieces of costume jewelry, a passport, a driver's license, and two checkbooks. The sliding-glass doors that the resident had locked and closed before leaving were found open. Police called Crime Scene Investigations to follow up. The case has been assigned to the SFPD's Burglary Detail.
Robbery with Gun: 10:50 a.m. on Tuesday, April 8; 1600 block of Noe Street
At 10:50 a.m. on Tuesday, April 8, a woman was sitting in the bus shelter in the 1600 block of Noe near 29th, waiting to catch the 24-Divisadero bus downtown. She was accompanied by an 8-month-old girl in a stroller, whom she was babysitting. A few minutes later, two women also came by to wait for the bus. Soon after, the babysitter saw a man appear from 29th Street and walk behind the bus shelter. She then noticed the two women back up as the man pointed a gun at them. He told the women, "Get back." Then he pointed the gun at the baby girl in the stroller, and said to the babysitter, "Don't f- - - ing move."
The two women backed away, and the man pointed the gun at them again. As soon as the man turned toward the two women, the babysitter grabbed the child from the stroller and ran across the street, yelling "Don't shoot!" several times. She continued running to the child's home, where she called 911. She saw the two women run south on Noe Street, but did not see where the man went.
When the babysitter returned to the bus stop with police, her tote bag, containing her keys and $3, was missing. The suspect is described as an African-American male, age 30, 5*8(, 160 pounds, with a dark complexion and short black hair. He was last seen wearing a black hooded top with red lettering, baggy black pants, and unlaced black boots with gold trim. The case has been assigned to the SFPD's Robbery Detail.
Robbery with Force: 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 8; 30th and Church streets
A 17-year-old male was aboard the J-Church streetcar (at 30th and Church streets) around 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 8, when he was approached by another male teenager who asked "What's up?" and punched him in the chest. Two of the suspect's friends, also riding the streetcar, then said, "Jack him for his coat."
According to the police report, the 17-year-old then punched the suspect back for fear of being attacked for his coat. The suspect and his two friends jumped on the 17-year-old, who fell to the ground. They also punched him and rifled through his jacket. One of the youths took $10 from the jacket pocket.
The 17-year-old went to Mission Station with his father to file a report. His face above his left eye was swollen and bruised. His left cheek also was swollen, and he had red scratch marks on his shoulder.
Pickpocket Theft: 9:45 p.m. on Tuesday, April 15; inside a Muni bus at Castro and Elizabeth streets
A Noe Valley resident and his friend boarded a Muni bus at Castro and Market streets around 9:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 15. As the bus reached Castro near Elizabeth, a male teenager approached the friend and said, "What's up?" As the resident and his friend got up to exit the bus at Castro and 24th, the resident felt something on his rear jeans pocket where he kept his wallet, which contained $270. He looked over and saw that the male teenager had his wallet and was handing it to another youth. The resident said, "Give it back." The youth replied, "Give what back?" The resident and his friend then exited the bus and called police.
Police officers located the bus at 30th and Mission and were told that the suspects had gotten off the bus at 30th and Noe streets. Police searched the area, but did not find the suspects. The case has been assigned to the SFPD's Robbery Detail.
Theft from Locked Vehicle: Between 10 a.m. on Wednesday, April 16, and 7:30 a.m. on Sunday, April 20; Sanchez Street between 27th and Cesar Chavez streets
At 10 a.m. on Wednesday, April 16, a woman parked her 1995 Nissan Pathfinder on Sanchez Street between 27th and Cesar Chavez. When she returned to the car four days later, she discovered that the right rear window had been smashed and that three duffle bags containing cosmetics and women's clothing were missing, along with two one-hundred-dollar bills that were in another bag which was found on the ground next to the Pathfinder. The case has been assigned to the SFPD's Auto Detail.
Robbery with Force: 8:40 p.m. on Thursday, April 17; 23rd and Chattanooga streets
At 8:40 p.m. on Thursday, April 17, two women were walking westbound on 23rd Street near Chattanooga when three men suddenly approached from behind. The men yelled, "Give me your purse." Fearing for her safety, one of the women threw her purse on the sidewalk and ran into the street. One of the men followed her into the street and repeated that she should give him her purse. When he realized she had thrown the purse on the sidewalk, he ran over and picked it up. The purse contained credit cards, a driver's license, wallet, and keys.
Meanwhile, the other two men continued yelling at the other woman to hand over her purse. She gave them the handbag, which contained a cell phone, camera, keys, wallet, and credit cards.
The three men then fled east on 23rd Street. Police advised the women to cancel their credit cards, ATM cards, and cell phone immediately. Police also searched the area for the three men, but did not find them. The case has been assigned to the SFPD's Robbery Detail.
Burglary of Flat: Between 6:30 and 10:30 p.m. on Friday, April 18; 1200 block of Noe Street
The residents of a flat in the 1200 block of Noe Street near 25th left their home at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, April 18. When they returned home four hours later, they noticed that their laptop computer was missing from a desk. They also discovered that the rear door they had left closed and locked with a deadbolt was open and unlocked. A window in their laundry room had one pane cut out, and the window had been unlatched. In addition, a door leading to the backyard was open. The residents told police that several pieces of jewelry, including bracelets, a watch, a pearl necklace, and coral earrings, were missing from a jewelry box in their bedroom. Police requested that Crime Scene Investigations be called to the home for follow-up. The case has been assigned to the SFPD's Burglary Detail.
Robbery with Gun: 12:22 a.m. on Saturday, April 19; Jersey and Noe streets
A Noe Valley resident was walking home shortly after midnight on Friday, April 18, near Jersey and Noe streets when three teenage boys confronted her. One asked, "What do you have, lady?" He then showed her a small handgun and pulled the slide of the gun back three times while the other two youths surrounded the resident. One of the youths tried to take the resident's handbag, but she managed to keep it. She kneeled down and fumbled through the handbag and gave them $23. The suspects then ran south on Noe Street. The resident went home and called police. The case has been assigned to the SFPD's Robbery Detail.
Theft from Locked Vehicle: Between 1:30 and 11:30 a.m. on Sunday, April 20; 26th and Sanchez streets
At 1:30 a.m. on Sunday, April 20, a man parked his Honda Civic at 26th and Sanchez streets. He told police he locked all of the doors and rolled up the windows. When he returned to his car at 11:30 a.m., he found that his rear passenger window had been smashed and that an Apple iPod digital music player and his car stereo were missing. The police report did not give a case assignment.
Robbery with Gun: 10:53 p.m. on Wednesday, April 23; 1000 block of Diamond Street
At a little before 11 p.m. on Wednesday, April 23, a resident of the 1000 block of Diamond Street near Clipper parked her car across the street from her home and walked to her front door. As she put her keys in the lock, she turned around to see a man wearing a ski mask and pointing a gun in her face. He said, "Just give me the bag." He then grabbed her tote bag, which contained a purse, checkbook, glasses, wallet, credit cards, and driver's license. The suspect fled south on Diamond Street and east on Clipper. The resident ran into her home and called police. Upon their arrival, police searched the area, but did not find the suspect. The case has been assigned to the SFPD's Robbery Detail.
Residential Burglary: Between 7:30 a.m. on Tuesday, April 22, and 5:30 p.m. on Friday, April 25; 1500 block of Noe Street
A resident of the 1500 block of Noe Street near 28th left her home at 7:30 a.m. on Tuesday, April 22. When she returned three days later, she saw that her dining room window was open and that a plant that was in the front of the house had been knocked to the floor. She then checked her back kitchen door and saw that the door was unlocked. She also found a window in an upstairs bedroom open. Several pieces of costume jewelry, including rings, earrings, and necklaces, were missing from the bedroom.
Police believe an unknown suspect entered through the window in the bedroom and left through the rear kitchen door. There were no signs of forced entry or damage to any doors or windows. The case has been assigned to the SFPD's Burglary Detail.
The Voice thanks Mission Station Lieutenants Roger Battaglia and Jill Brophy and Ingleside Police Officer Mike Smith for providing the incident reports for this month's Police Beat. The reports were summarized by Kathy Dalle-Molle.
Officer Ed Gaffud Walking Lombardo's Turf
Officer Edwin Gaffud, a 32-year-old Twin Peaks resident, has been filling in for Officer Lorraine Lombardo as the beat cop in Noe Valley since early May.
Lombardo has been on disability for an injured knee and bicep since mid-March. She is expected to return to the beat in late June.
In the meantime, Gaffud, who has been with the San Francisco Police Department for two years, the last nine months at Mission Station, is patrolling 24th Street and most of Noe Valley north of Cesar Chavez Street several days a week from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. "I drive from the station in a squad car, park in the neighborhood, and then walk around," says Gaffud (pronounced "Gaff-fuhd"). "It's been a good way to connect with people up and down 24th Street and also along the residential blocks."
Before joining the SFPD, Gaffud worked for eight years in the sheriff's office in Sonoma and San Francisco counties. He comes to his temporary assignment in Noe Valley after working a beat on Mission Street.
Born and raised in the Sunset District, Gaffud is no stranger to Noe Valley. "I've been going to the Valley Tavern since it was the Rat and Raven," he says. "I also enjoy going to Haystack Pizza for a meal and Joe's 24th Street Café, too.
"Noe Valley is a good neighborhood," he adds. "The residents I've talked with so far seem to be most concerned about the panhandlers and the number of burglaries in the neighborhood."
During his time on the beat, Gaffud says he's looking forward to "meeting more residents and merchants and hearing their concerns."
He encourages residents or merchants who need to reach him to "leave a message for me at Mission Station [558-5400], or better yet, just flag me down when you see me on the street."
Your Links to the SFPD
Noe Valley residents and merchants are invited to attend police-community meetings held monthly in the Mission and Ingleside police districts. The next meeting at Mission Station will be Tuesday, June 24, 6 p.m., at 630 Valencia Street near 17th Street. The next Ingleside meeting will be Tuesday, June 17, at 7 p.m., at Ingleside Station, 1 Sgt. John Young Lane, off the 2000 block of San Jose Avenue.
Those who live or work north of Cesar Chavez Street can report recurring problems by phoning Mission Station at 558-5400 or e-mailing Capt. Greg Corrales at gregory_corrales@ ci.sf.ca.us. (To report anonymously on drugs, gangs, or other crimes in the Mission, call the non-traceable hotline at 558-5452.)
Residents and merchants in "outer" Noe Valley--south of Cesar Chavez--can reach Ingleside Station by calling 404-4000 or e-mailing Capt. Kevin Dillon at kevin_dillon@ci.sf.ca.us.
To report a crime in progress, call 911. (Cell phone users, dial 553-8090.) To report a non-emergency situation, call 553-0123.