Crime

Mayor Ed Lee to Get Tough on Dolores Park Hooligans

— By Kevin Montgomery (@kevinmonty) |

Our democratically-appointed executive mustache has had enough of the vandalism of late in Dolores Park's new playground, and he's not taking it anymore.  According to Mission Local, Mayor Lee outlined plan to combat vandalism in Dolores Park at yesterday's Board of Supervisors meeting:

  • The Parks and Recreation Department is working with food vendors and bicycle rental companies to offer “happy park uses.”
  • The San Francisco Police Department will hire nine park patrol officers (citywide.)
  • The police chief will tell his officers to enforce property crimes.
  • “Once arrested, [the DA] will work to prosecute these criminals to the full extent of the law,” Lee said.
  • Work with judges who dismiss vandalism cases and educate them on the importance of prosecution. “I see far too many [cases] dismissed,” he said.
  • A graffiti specialist is currently developing leads to apprehend the vandals.

This sounds very similar to SFPD's plan to curb the so-called “out of control” behavior in Dolores, so draw whatever conclusions you will about this new anti-vandalism drumbeat.

[Photo by Mysteriosio]

Previously on Uptown Almanac: 

Violin Stolen From Car While Its Driver Helped an Injured Lost Dog

— By Kevin Montgomery (@kevinmonty) |

From visiting country singer Jolie Holland:

My bandmate and dear friend Carey Lamprecht of San Francisco had her violin, her wallet, and a bag of pedals stolen from her car at Mission and 16th Street. She didn't leave them in the car—she was twenty feet away making sure a lost dog who had gotten hit in the road got into the vet ambulance alright. More details about the violin and bag of pedals soon. We can all keep an eye out on craigslist and in local pawnshops. She had that violin since she was ten years old. And here's hoping the poor lost dog is gonna pull through.

Ignoring the obvious “San Francisco has a pet ambulance?” question, this is just tragic.  Do keep a lookout.

(Thanks for the tip, Jeremy!)

Previously on Uptown Almanac: 

"Savage Beating" and Shooting Outside of Double Dutch

— By Kevin Montgomery (@kevinmonty) |

Late last night, patrons of nearby Kilowatt claimed to witness a “savage beating” and shooting outside of Double Dutch at 16th and Guerrero.  Supposedly, after beating the victim to the ground, one of the attackers pushed a 9mm handgun in his chest and shot him.

Here's what Mission Local had to say:

The man was shot at about 11:30 p.m., the officer said.

Police blocked of 16th Street between Valencia and Guerrero while they collected evidence. A pool of blood was visible on the pavement. Officers were still on the scene taking photos as of 3 a.m.

According to a witness who declined to give his name, the man was lying face down on the pavement while another man — presumably a friend — lay on top of him, crying.

ML reports, via an officer on the scene, that it “was not fatal.”

[Photo by Mission Local]

Tip: Don't Steal Asiento's Curtains in a Rainstorm

— By Kevin Montgomery (@kevinmonty) |

Eater has a new series on shit people steal from bars and restaurants. Today's tale from Asiento reminds us all to always ask the bartender about the waterproofing of all potential raincoats:

The last time we had a surprise rain storm on a Wednesday night, someone stole the curtain from our front door window. And it was a burlap bag curtain so not very good at keeping them dry! And it was game night, which is mostly the neighborhood folks so that makes it even more perplexing.

For next time, might I recommend some copies of the Bay Guardian? You can find some on nearly every corner in the city and they're great at keeping you dry and mildly informed.

[Photo by David Spencer]

Mass Bike Thief Arrested, Eight More Bikes Found

— By Alissa |

Remember yesterday when the cops found over 100 stolen bikes in Oakland? Well, they arrested someone in connection with the stolen property, and that someone is an 18 year old twerp by the name of Irving Sanchez. From the SFPD press release:

San Francisco Police recovered 114 stolen bicycles, the result of a search warrant issued by a judge of the Superior Court on May 15, 2012. Irving Sanchez, 18, of San Francisco was taken into custody at his residence on May 17, 2012.

Members of the Station Investigation Team (SIT) at Ingleside Police Station were led to Sanchez’s San Francisco residence on the 200 block of Charter Oak Avenue, where police located 8 bicycles stored in the kitchen. A further search yielded evidence leading to two self-serve storage lockers on the 5200 block of Coliseum Way in Oakland. A search warrant was issued for both the 200 block of Charter Oak and the 5200 block of Coliseum Way. When police entered the storage lockers, one locker contained 25 bicycles. Police then proceeded to a second storage locker within the unit, where they found an additional 81 bicycles. Police also recovered eighty bicycle tires and a bicycle frame inside the second locker.

Sanchez was booked at San Francisco County Jail on numerous felony counts of receiving stolen property.

You can view the press release in full here, including images of all the newly recovered bikes.

[via SFPD]

Previously on Uptown Almanac: 

Missing Boar Head Replaced with Whimsical Collage

— By Eric Gregory (@mrericsir) |

Ever since we brought you breaking coverage of the boar head theft at Four Barrel back in April, we've been carefully monitoring the situation for new developments.  After all, with only three boars, shouldn't the place change their name to Three Boar-el?  No?  What, that was a good pun.  Stop hitting me.

As of this week the cafe's gallery was refreshed with new work by Aaron Rodriguez.  With the new art, the dotted line where the boar head once stood is no longer empty — it's now filled with a whimsical collage.

This, folks, means there is hope. If an artist can use that space, who's to say their art itself cannot be an actual boar head mounted on a wooden shield?  The act of artistic re-boarment would not only restore Four Barrel's rightful fourth boar, but would also make the artist a hero to coffee nerds who make snarky comments about their shitty iPhone photos in local blogs.

Get on it, artists.  We're counting on you.

Previously on Uptown Almanac: 

SFPD Recovers 100+ Stolen Bikes in Oakland

— By Kevin Montgomery (@kevinmonty) |

HEY YO, IS THAT YOUR STOLEN MAGNA?  If so, SFPD recovered it during what we presume was a giant bike theft bust in Oakland.  In all, 116 bikes were recovered, most of them unfortunately parted out and left unrideable.  But, hey, it's better than no bike, right?

You can look at a Word Doc released by SFPD's Mission Station to see if your old bike is there.  SFPD also notes, “Several recent bike thefts occurred where victims left their bicycles in their vehicles. Your bicycle is not safe in a locked vehicle.”

[via SFist]

Previously on Uptown Almanac: 

Interview: SFPD Discusses Recent Crackdown in Dolores Park

— By Kevin Montgomery (@kevinmonty) |

We've been slightly alarmed by the police presence in the park this spring—undercovers asking picnickers for heroin, arresting Cold Beer, Cold Water (and him being scared into only selling water), cops walking around warning people about smoking and open containers.  In fact, since the new playground opened, there's been a reported 17 arrests made in the park and Dolores has lurched closer toward becoming the kid-safe wonderland neighbors long for (whatever that looks like).

While we're all pretty bummed that we can't buy weed cookies in the park anymore and we'll be forced to head to Golden Gate Park, The Panhandle, 16th and Mission, Bum Shoots, 24th and Folsom, 4th and Mission, any corner in the TL, 7th and Market, Medithrive, call up that dude Ron, Barah's “Heroin” Market, some dorm near Daly City, or The Vapor Room to get our hook-up, the precedent of cops patrolling the park and cracking down on its unregulated, yet in-check fun is a concerning development.  Is it that unreasonable to give responsible adults a small, two block space to do what we do outdoors?

We reached out to SFPD's Mission Station and the Department's Media Relations division (which is paid to respond to “press inquiries”) about the situation multiple times this week (starting on Tuesday) with some questions about what is happening in the park, to start a dialogue.  This is what they got back to us with:

UA: Just to confirm, have there been 17 arrests made, and over what time period?
SFPD: No comment.

UA: What have the crimes associated with the various arrests been?
SFPD: No comment.

UA: While we've seen an uptick in police presence in Dolores Park every spring over the last few years, it's been notably worse this year.  Why have the police been more active in the park this year?
SFPD: No comment.

UA: Most people have noticed a direct correlation between police presence in Dolores and the opening of the new Hellen Diller Playground.  Is this in fact related?
SFPD: No comment.

UA: Has your department been receiving more complaints from parents and neighbors since the playground opened?  What kind of complaints are you receiving?
SFPD: No comment.

UA: Has any one person, or group of persons, motivated the police department to become more active in the park?
SFPD: No comment.

UA: It has been reported (and observed), that SFPD tends to focus their action in the south-west corner of the park, a space typically used by the gay community.  Is there a reason for that?
SFPD: No comment.

UA: Residents have found it troubling that only one arrest has been made following the destruction of area businesses and Mission Station on April 30th, yet 17 non-violent D.I.Y. entrepreneurs have been arrested for selling goods (and drugs) in Dolores Park.  Moreover, hotspots like 16th and Mission continue to serve as open markets for hard drugs and violent crime.  While we're not asking if you think it is okay for SFPD to ignore the law in Dolores Park—or anywhere, do you think that there is an inappropriate allocation of police resources given the arrests made in Dolores Park vs. what is done to clean up much more violent areas of the Mission?
SFPD: No comment.

Thanks, SFPD!  Keep doing what you're doing.

[Pic by Prolly Is Not Probably]

Previously on Uptown Almanac: 

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