FiDi & North Beach Crime: Pepper Spray Attacks, Knife-Wielding Robber, MorePhoto: Geri Koeppel/Hoodline
Nathan Falstreau
Published on August 28, 2017

Time for another look at crime in SFPD's Central District, which includes Chinatown, Financial District, Embarcadero, Russian, Telegraph and Nob Hills, North Beach, and Union Square.

Here are some of the incidents that have taken place since our last report. Unless otherwise noted, all reports are based on information from SFPD.

Photo: Google

Two FiDi Banks Robbed Within Minutes

On August 23rd, we reported that two banks just a few hundred feet apart were robbed almost simultaneously in the Financial District.

In the first robbery, a man in his fifties entered a bank on the 200 block of California Street and demanded money from a employee at 1pm. The victim, a 63-year-old woman, gave the suspect an unknown amount of cash and he walked out.

On the 100 block of California six minutes later, a man in his 60s approached a 30-year-old female teller and demanded money. 

After she complied, the man fled southbound on Market Street on foot.

Cell Phone Thief Punches Victim, Flees 

On August 24th, just before 7pm near the corner of Vandewater and Powell streets in North Beach, a 26-year-old woman was talking on her cell phone when a suspect in his late teens snatched it and ran.

The victim tried to chase after the suspect, but he punched her and then threw her cellphone to the ground before fleeing towards Mason Street. The victim suffered minor injuries but refused treatment. 

Union Square Hotel Office, Bedrooms Ransacked

A hot prowl burglary occurred August 23rd between 6–7:40am on the 500 block of Bush Street in Union Square. A 60-year-old man found a man in his 20s in the foyer of a hotel and escorted him out.

Later, the man noticed that the office, along with several bedrooms had been ransacked. The victim was in his room at the time and didn't see the incident occur. According to police, no items were reported missing. 

Hot Prowler Hits Nob Hill Home

On the 1200 block of Jackson Street in Nob Hill on August 23rd between midnight and 7:15am, another hot prowl burglary occurred. A 31-year-old man and a 33-year-old woman were sleeping when an unknown suspect entered their flat through a window.

The suspect allegedly took laptops, a game system, hard drive, a speaker and bank cards. 

Woman Pepper-sprays Man, Steals Cash

On August 23rd at 3:42am in Lower Nob Hill on the 600 block of Geary Street, a 33-year-old man invited a 30-year-old woman to his room. Once inside, she pepper-sprayed him, took his cash, and fled the scene. The victim suffered from minor injuries in the incident. 

Knife-wielding Man Absconds With Backpack 

In Lower Nob Hill on the 900 block of Post Street on August 21st at 3:30pm, a man in his 40s approached a 53-year-old woman, brandished a knife and demanded money.

The victim attempted to call 911, but the suspect snatched her backpack from her and absconded. The victim suffered from minor injuries to her leg during the incident, but refused medical treatment. 

Man Walks Into Business, Steals Laptop

A 31-year-old woman was sitting in a business near Clay and Drumm streets with her laptop on August 18th at 5:30pm when two men in their 20s entered.

One of the men grabbed the laptop from the woman and a struggle ensued. The suspect was able to overpower the victim and absconded with the laptop on foot toward the Embarcadero. 

Suspects Pepper-sprays Woman, Steals Purse

A 40-year-old woman was walking near the North Point Shopping Centre at the corner of Stockton and Bay Streets in North Beach on August 17th at 7:45pm when three women in their 20s approached her in an unknown vehicle.

Two of the suspects got out of the car and pepper-sprayed the woman, snatched her purse and then fled the scene in the car. The victim suffered from non-life threatening injuries but was not transported to a hospital. 

Police are asking anyone with information about any of these incidents to contact the department’s tipline anonymously at 415-575-4444, or by texting a tip to TIP411 and starting the message with “SFPD."