Police Beat

By Erin O'Briant

Crime in Noe Valley dropped again during April, when only 47 crimes were reported in the neighborhood--two fewer than February's low of 49, and nine fewer than March's crime report total of 55. During April, three assault incidents were reported, down from five in March. Residents and businesses told police about 20 cases of larceny and petty theft in March, and that number dropped to 17 in April. The month of April also saw three drug incidents, seven cases of vandalism, eight burglaries, and eight vehicle thefts.
Only one street robbery was reported in Noe Valley during April. A person was accosted on the street by a man carrying a gun at 10:43 p.m. on Tuesday, April 17, near the intersection of 22nd and Chattanooga streets. The suspect has not been caught. Another robbery, this time with bodily force instead of a gun, took place just outside the neighborhood at 23rd and Guerrero streets later that week, in the wee hours of Saturday, April 21.
The neighborhood's three drug cases involved possession of marijuana during the early evening on Tuesday, April 3, possession of crack cocaine at about 10:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 11, and sale of a controlled substance. The third incident took place very close to a neighborhood school at 11:45 a.m. on Thursday, April 19.
The 17 larceny/theft cases were scattered throughout the northern and eastern parts of the neighborhood--none took place in Noe Valley's southwest quadrant. There were 12 instances of grand theft and five of petty theft; many of the incidents involved stealing from locked automobiles. Vehicles were also a target for several cases of malicious mischief; the other mischief incidents were for graffiti.
Beyond Noe Valley
While Noe Valley enjoyed relative calm during April, crime continued just over the Glen Park border. On Saturday, April 28, at 10:45 p.m., a 17-year-old was riding a Muni bus at Bosworth and Diamond streets when four suspects took the victim's hat, cell phone, and iPod. The victim ran, yelling, to the front of the bus and the suspects fled, but Ingleside police officers arrested three of them for robbery and conspiracy after officers broadcast a description of the suspects.
Also very close to Noe Valley, police responded to a domestic violence call on the morning of Saturday, April 14. A man had struck a woman and brandished a knife after she refused to have sex with him. Officers cited him for two offenses.
Auto Burglary Prevention Tips
From the Wednesday, May 16, Ingleside Police Station newsletter:
* Don't leave keys in your car.
* Garage your car or have a security device.
* Don't leave your original ownership title in the car--only a copy.
* Don't leave anything of value visible in your car.
* Don't park in poorly lit areas.
How to Contact the SFPD
Noe Valley is covered by two police districts, Mission and Ingleside. The northern half of the neighborhood, including 24th Street, falls within the Mission Police District, which extends east of Twin Peaks to the Bayshore Freeway and south of Market Street to Cesar Chavez Street. The southern half (Upper Noe Valley) is the domain of the Ingleside Police District, which runs south from Cesar Chavez Street to the San Mateo County line.
Both the Ingleside and Mission Police Districts hold monthly police-community meetings. Ingleside meetings take place on the third Tuesday of the month, 7 p.m., at Ingleside Station, 1 Sgt. John Young Lane, off the 2000 block of San Jose Avenue. Mission community meetings are held on the last Tuesday of the month, 6 p.m., at Mission Station, 630 Valencia Street near 17th Street. The public is invited.
"Downtown" Noe Valleyans may reach Mission Station by calling 558-5400 or e-mailing SFPDMissionStation@ci.sf.ca.us. To report anonymously on drugs or gangs, call Mission Station's hotline at 575-4444.
Residents and merchants in Upper Noe Valley may contact Ingleside Police by calling 404-4000 or e-mailing SFPDInglesideStation@ci.sf.ca.us. The Ingleside anonymous tip line is 587-8984.
For citywide online reporting, go to www.sfgov.org/site/police.
To sign up for Ingleside Station's daily crime e-newsletter, e-mail Ingleside Capt. Paul Chignell at Paul.Chignell@sfgov.org. To request the Mission e-newsletter, write Capt. John Goldberg at SFPDMission Station@ci.sf.ca.us.
To report a crime in progress, call 911. If it's a non-emergency, call 553-0123.
Online Reporting
The SFPD has an online reporting system for the following crimes:
* Lost Property
* Theft
* Vandalism
* Vehicle Tampering
* Vehicle Burglary
* Harassing Phone Calls
Go to www.sfgov.org/site/police.