This Was Rather Disturbing To Read…UPDATED

Every day I get an email bulletin from SFPD Captain Paul Chignell of the Taraval Station, which details major incidents of crime around the neighborhood. Most of it tends to be people driving on 19th with expired tags who turn out to be drug dealers posessing large quanities of drugs, car thefts, and burglaries. However, there are some other times when there’s some really disturbing incidents, such as the one here that details how a 14 year old kid was assaulted and robbed at the N Judah stop at 9th and Judah. Read here for the details:

09/16/09 6:45 pm 9th Avenue and Judah
A 14 year old boy was waiting for a streetcar and had in his possession a saxaphone inside a black case. A suspect walked up to the boy, kicked him in the groin thereby knocking the victim to the pavement, grabbed his saxaphone and fled the area on foot.
Officer Christopher Smith arrived to take the police report. While he was taking the report a person called the victim’s father as the name and address and phone number of the victim was on the black case. The person said that he had the saxaphone and would need $250.00 to return it to the victim.
Officers Rex Calaunan and Rolando Escobar, Taraval Station officers working in plainclothes, took over the investigation and contacted a Tactical robbery abatement team. The officers made contact with the suspect and arranged a meeting at the Walgreen’s store at Lombard and Divisadero. When the suspect approached Officer Calaunan, who was posing as the victim, the suspect was advised he was being detained.
The suspect tried to escape but was arrested. The stolen saxaphone was found nearby. The suspect, who lives in the Western Addition, was arrested for an illegal dagger, receiving stolen property, resisting arrest and a probation violation. The investigation continues as to the identity of the robber. Case #090957245. This was excellent and thorough police work.

I have to say I’m finding it a bit disturbing that kids seem to be an increasing target for crime now, since it’s presumed they won’t fight back or something. Whatever the reason, it’s really f*cked up and I really hope that this guy gets thrown in jail. I know that is at odds with the policy downtown, but so be it.
Also, the SF Appeal reports of more stolen smartphone incidents. It’s very easy to be so absorbed in whatever it is you’re doing on your iPhone, Blackberry, etc. that you become unaware of your surroundings. Always be aware you’re in public with an expensive piece of fence-able product, and change your headphones to something NOT the iPhone/iPod white ones to be safe.
UPDATE: In Friday’s SF Weekly blog, word on the street is that 40 undercover cops are going to be working some of the more problematic lines on Muni. This is good news. FINALLY someone is at least doing SOMETHING….

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8 Responses to This Was Rather Disturbing To Read…UPDATED

  1. Joseph H says:

    It’s really sad when 9th and Irving becomes a hotspot for crime. Honestly I think if the bums and creeps who hang out there were moved out of the way, this problem would go away. However in SF it seems that people are entitled to set up shop on the street wherever they want and be crazy, drunk, high, and/or obnoxious to their hearts’ content. Even if they’re not all criminals, they encourage moral blight.
    I remember when the BoS wanted to decriminalize “victimless” crimes like public drunkenness. There are lots of restaurant and business owners and patrons who feel victimized by drunk a-holes loitering by the door. Heck, we have a neighborhood alcoholic who has set up shop at the grocery store right next to my door. And of course he pisses at random places nearby including on my gate.

  2. gkd says:

    wow, an early evening assault and robbery & in the inner sunset?
    not too bright, trying to make a ransom deal. did he really not take into account the victim might have called the cops?

  3. Greg Dewar says:

    @joseph: ironically , in that same report was one where a person on Fulton Street called the cops because a homeless person camped out in an apartment car port and refused to leave.
    @gkd: I was surprised the robber was that stupid, but glad he was so they could catch him. Now let’s just hope the DA doesn’t plead this out to time served and sends him to jail.

  4. Joel says:

    Cool that the kid got his sax back, and cool that at least one scumbag is off the streets if for a little while, but man, I’m not sure I’d ever want to wrape my lips around that particular instrument again.

  5. Bob Davis says:

    One of the reasons why some people turn to a life of crime is that they are too stupid to do any kind of useful work without somebody standing over them. Maybe we should bring back “chain gangs”.

  6. anonymouse says:

    Good to hear that the police are actually doing something about Muni. Hopefully they’ll be out catching fare evaders and vandals, rather than just minor infractions like eating and drinking. And really, it should be Muni that goes after fare evaders, it’s their revenue after all.

  7. Greg Dewar says:

    I think the idea is they keep an eye on fare evaders since they’re more likely to also be vandals or thieves…which usually tends to be the case. and being undercover is also nice.

  8. Greg Angilly says:

    Would you be able to tell me how I can get the email bulletin from the Taraval Chief?

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