Incident Date:
Wednesday, April 23rd, 2014The next community meeting at Ingleside Station will be held on May 20, 2014. Thank you.
A person calling San Francisco residents identifying himself as a San Francisco deputy sheriff tells victims that he called regarding some sort of violation unknown by the victim and required money immediately to remedy the situation. For example, on numerous occasions, the “deputy” stated he worked in the warrants division and required several hundred dollars from residents to clear up old warrants or else another deputy would arrive at the residents’ address to arrest them. The “deputy” required victims to go to a local drug store, such as CVS, Walgreen’s, etc. to obtain a GreenDot MoneyPak (a pre-paid debit card used for in-store or online purchases) and load the card with several hundred to several thousand dollars. The “deputy” told residents to call back once they obtain the pre-paid debit card, scratch off the gray box to reveal the access codes then read the code to the “deputy” over the telephone.
As time went on over the past four weeks, we noticed that the amount “required” by the “deputy” increased from a couple of hundred dollars to several thousands of dollars. As the caller tested the local response, he became more confident in this scam.
We have also received similar reports with the caller identifying himself as an agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The “FBI agent” states that victims need to send him pre-paid debit card information via telephone or else victims will be placed under arrest.
Related to these crime, but with a much wider scope, are people identifying themselves as Internal Revenue Service employees. These “employees” claim that victims owed massive sums of money in back taxes and required immediate funds – again, through use of pre-paid debit cards – to remedy the situation or face immediate arrest. In one instance, the “IRS employee” required the victim to purchase an $8000 Reload it pre-paid debit card and provide the card’s access information via telephone.
These are all illegal confidence schemes. The callers are confidence men, better known as con artists.
If you receive any such solicitations via telephone, please do your best to note the phone number used, time of day, the name the caller identifies him/herself as, and anything distinguishable about his or her voice.
Be advised that neither the Sheriff’s Department nor federal government solicit funds related to criminal justice matters via telephone calls and any outreach regarding such matters would be made in person or through post office correspondence.
If you feel that you were the victim of such scams, please contact the police immediately. While being duped out of money by fear of arrest can be embarrassing to admit, this is happening to your families, friends and neighbors. Do not be a silent victim.
Our Fraud unit is aware of – and investigating – this ongoing scam. The Fraud unit can be reached at 415-553-1521 Monday thru Friday during normal business hours.
Please contact the police at 415-553-0123 if you have received a phone call from such a con artist. You can also contact the Federal Trade Commission for IRS-related scams at http://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov.
The San Francisco Neighborhood Emergency Response Team (NERT) is free training from the San Francisco Fire Department in how to help yourself and your neighbors prepare for and respond to a disaster by working together. The 20-hour training, taught by First Responders, includes personal preparedness, light search and rescue, disaster medicine, shutting off your utilities, and how to participate as a member of a neighborhood response team. NERT also offers continuing training for graduates and activities that support building robust neighborhood teams. For more information, visit the NERT website at http://sfgov.org//sffdnert, or contact Lt. Erica Arteseros at (415)970-2022 or sffdnert@sfgov.org
Ingleside District Nert Training
Lick Wilmerding HS
755 Ocean Ave
March 18, 6:30-10:00p: Class 1
March 25, 6:30-10:00p: Class 2
April 1, 6:30-9:30p: Class 3
April 8, 6:30p-10:00p: Class 4
school closed April 15
April 22, 6:30p-9:30p: Class 5
755 Ocean Ave
March 18, 6:30-10:00p: Class 1
March 25, 6:30-10:00p: Class 2
April 1, 6:30-9:30p: Class 3
April 8, 6:30p-10:00p: Class 4
school closed April 15
April 22, 6:30p-9:30p: Class 5
April 29, 6:30p-10:00p: Class 6
Are you someone who is interested in disaster preparedness and wants to help out your community while working hand in hand with law enforcement? Then the ALERT program is for you!
What is the A.L.E.R.T. Program?
The San Francisco Police Department has developed a volunteer citizen disaster preparedness program. The Auxiliary Law Enforcement Response Team (ALERT) is modeled after and works in partnership with the San Francisco Fire Department's Neighborhood Emergency Response Team (NERT). The ALERT program will train members of the public to assist law enforcement in essential tasks after a major disaster. Such tasks may include: traffic control, foot patrol of business and residential areas, and reporting criminal activity. Volunteers must be at least 16 years of age and live, work, or attend high school in San Francisco.
Three steps to becoming an
A.L.E.R.T. volunteer:
1. Complete NERT training and receive certification. To register for NERT training courses please visit www.sfgov.org/sfnert
2. Once NERT certified, forward a copy of your NERT ID card to the ALERT program. sfpdalert@sfov.org
3. After clearing a basic background check the individual is eligible to register for ALERT training.
The next training class has been scheduled for May 3rd, 2014, from 8:00am – 5:00pm. This class will be held at the San Francisco Police Academy, in the parking lot bungalow.
Heat wave: Many residents are leaving their windows and doors open in an effort to keep cooler as the temperature increases during these gorgeous sunny days. Be extra careful, especially when you leave your home, paying attention to secure the windows and doors when you leave. Burglars are always looking for the easiest way inside your home. Don’t give them the opportunity for the easy access. Make sure to secure these entry points and leave them locked when you are not around. A third of all the burglaries committed in the Ingleside district during the month of April were due to open garages and unlocked windows. Also, remember to keep hydrated with lots of water!!
Crime Alert: As of the start of April ‘2014 there has been an increase in auto boostings in the Noe Valley, Glen Park and Bernal Heights Area. Ingleside officers have stepped up patrol in these areas but, we ask you that you do your part to prevent from being a victim. Take extra precautions to avoid a criminal from window-shopping inside your car. Never give them a reason to break into your car and steal your belongings. Try to park in a well lit area and always lock your doors and secure your windows. Never leave possessions in plain view and never leave important documents inside your car that contain personal information. Remember, if a criminal is unsuccessful and is not benefitting from his criminal activity, the thief will move on, thus making your neighborhood less of a target.
Arrests:
12:38pm Mission/Kingston Possession of Burglary Tools
Officers Johnson, O’leary and Aslam were on patrol cruising along the area of Mission and Kingston when Officer Johnson spotted a female she knew from prior police contacts. Officer Johnson knew this subject to be on probation with a search condition. When the female suspect spotted the officers she became nervous and didn’t know what to do. The officers quickly stopped and decided to conduct a probation search. Inside the subjects purse they located a several shaved keys, which are used to enter and steal vehicles, a Leatherman tool, flashlights and gloves. Based on the subjects prior arrest history for vehicle theft, Officer Johnson contacted the subject’s probation officer and informed him what she was up too. The tools were confiscated and the subject was ultimately cited and was instructed to report to her probation officer. Report Number: 140336575
12:45pm 100 Blk Judson Battery of a Police Officer
Officer Lim was sent to a house on the 100 Block of Judson to help abate a family dispute. Officer Rand also responded and was helping to keep the family members separated. While the officers were trying to find out what led to the verbal altercation one of the parties decided he was not going to stick around and started to walk away. The officers told him he couldn’t leave until things were settled, but he didn’t listen. The officers tried to block his path but that only enraged the individual. Without warning, the subject “sucker punched” Officer Lim in the face. The blow didn’t phase Officer Lim one bit. Both officers jumped into action as the subject tried to resist. Within minutes both officers had the subject controlled and in handcuffs. It turns out the family said the subject suffers from Schizophrenia and had not been taking his prescribed medication. The subject was cited for striking an officer and then taken to the hospital to be evaluated. Report Number: 140366600
Serious Incidents:
1:30pm Mission/Russia Robbery
A victim who was waiting for the bus had a bad feeling he was about to get robbed and tried to leave the area. The victim told Officer Thompson that he was at the bus stop, located at Mission and Russia Avenue, waiting for the MUNI bus to arrive. The victim said he spotted three suspects eyeing him, which made him feel uneasy. Having a gut feeling that the suspects wanted to rob him the victim decided to go into one of the local businesses. The three suspects followed him and confronted the victim. One of the culprits then said, “I like your belt, let me have it”. The victim refused. Again the suspect said, “I like it and I want it”. The victim said no for a second time and was suddenly punched him in the face. The victim made a fast get away but dropped his backpack in the process. The victim ran a couple blocks away where he called the police. The victim suspected the thieves took his backpack with several belongings inside. The victim was not seriously injured and refused medical treatment. Case Number: 140336779
9:15pm 3200 Blk Folsom Robbery
An unusual and unprovoked altercation let to a robbery inside a Laundromat. A woman told Officer McMilton that she was minding her own business doing a load of laundry, when she was confronted by another woman making crazy accusations that the victim was flirting with the suspect’s boyfriend. The victim ignored the crazy suspect and went on about her business. The suspect kept making of the wall accusations, now saying the victim had slept with her boyfriend. The victim ignored the suspect once again and made a call from her cell phone. The suspect snagged the cell phone out of the victim’s hand and fled the Laundromat. The suspect’s boyfriend was acting as a look out fled the scene with the suspect. Two witnesses who were also inside the Laundromat saw the whole thing and provided Officer Mcmilton with good suspect descriptions. The victim was not hurt and told Officer McMilton that she did not know the suspects. Report Number: 140338292
Vehicle and Other Incidents:
12:01am 900 Blk Ellsworth Fraud
5:20am 300 Blk Silver Battery
7:45am Mission/Foote Hit and Run
9:00am Unit Blk Paulding Recovered Vehicle
9:50am 300 Blk Wilde Recovered Vehicle
11:19am Diamond/Duncan Warrant Arrest
3:06pm 300 Blk Foerster False Personation
3:45pm Unit Blk Anderson Battery
4:30pm 300 Blk Moscow Hit and Run
6:59pm Unit Blk Carrizal Warrant Arrest
8:00pm 100 Blk Melrose Stolen and Recovered Vehicle
Burglaries with suspect description:
No Incidents to Report.
