Last weekend’s festivities didn’t stop criminals from doing what they do.
Crime started early, at 9:55 a.m. on Friday. Two young men jumped out of a 1980s-style brown Chevy van and brandished a gun at a 42-year-old woman who was walking down 18th Street near Potrero.
The suspects demanded the woman’s property — a shoulder bag containing an iPhone, a wallet and cash.
The victim complied and handed over her bag, which is what police recommend, and the suspects drove away.
So what can happen when you don’t hand over your bag? Friday night, at 10 p.m., a 23-year-old woman was attacked by a man who punched her, took her bag and ran. She ran after him in pursuit — the bag contained her purse, cell phone and iPod — only to be attacked by another suspect, who punched her until she fell to the ground. Both suspects got away.
People who refuse to listen to the demands of criminals can end up with a gun to their head, literally. That is what happened to two friends who were robbed at 20th and Capp streets at 1:57 a.m. on Saturday. As the two 23-year-olds walked together, a man approached them and brandished a black handgun before demanding the victims’ property.
The first woman complied and handed over her phone. The second hesitated, and the suspect became uneasy and struck her with his gun before fleeing on foot, possibly escaping in a light-colored sports car. Besides the cell phone, nothing was stolen, but one victim will have a headache to remember.
Two hours later, a 54-year-old man had the scare of his life inside his own home at 15th and Dolores streets. At 3:50 a.m. he awoke to noises coming from his living room. When he got up to investigate, he saw a man who looked to be about 50 going through his dresser. Surprised, the burglar fled through the apartment’s front door. Further examination revealed that he had entered through an open ground-level window. An unknown quantity of cash was missing.
On Sunday, things took a turn for the worse. At 2:30 in the morning, a 16-year-old male arrived at San Francisco General Hospital after an argument with several young women at 16th and Mission streets led one, for unknown reasons, to stab him.
The suspected attackers are five females ranging in age from 14 to 21. The victim has non-life-threatening injuries.
A few hours later, at 3:20 a.m., a 32-year-old woman who was walking down Mission near 22nd was approached by a man who demanded her purse and pushed her from behind, yanking the purse from her shoulder and fleeing on foot. The victim was taken to the hospital and treated for her injuries.
And in the last, late hours of Pride weekend, there was one more robbery in the Mission. At 9:23 p.m., a 26-year-old man was robbed at knifepoint at 17th and Capp streets by three suspects of unknown age. The victim gave them his wallet and the suspects fled. The victim was not injured, and only his ID and debit cards were reported missing.
Would you hand over your property easily during a robbery? Would you chase the suspect? Let us know.
It’s a complex question and rarely will two situations be equal. Obviously if someone just walks up to you and puts a gun to your head the game is over; you cooperate and hope that you escape with your life. If however, you see them coming and have time to react then I believe you shouldn’t let yourself become a victim. I know the cops will tell you just surrender your stuff; it’s not worth getting injured or killed over your possessions but as Ms. Blue discovered criminals don’t always settle for just your possessions they assault you too. If you give up and allow yourself to be robbed or mugged it just reaffirms to the criminal that our neighborhood is full of easy pickings. And sooner or later someone is not going to be content with just taking your stuff they’re going to harm you too.
For the first part of the question, no, if at all possible I will not hand over my property. But I’m always armed and like to think that I’m situationally aware when out on the streets so hopefully there is less of a chance of someone getting the drop on me. I also realize that if I have to pull a gun on my attacker(s) the law will …… me as it is impossible to get a concealed weapon permit in this city and even if I’m 100 percent in the right I’ll still be arrested for an illegal weapon. But better to be judged by twelve than carried by six as the cliche goes. This is just me; everybody has to make up their own mind about what they will do in a robbery situation.Â
For the second part of the question, once they are off with your stuff I see no logic in giving chase. You’re at a distinct disadvantage; you cannot shoot a fleeing criminal and you cannot be sure they have accomplices you are unaware of. Another cliche: know when it’s over.
i think i’m more scared of glen parker than i am of the crooks.
WWTBD. what would travis bickle do?
not take any crap from pimps and thugs. thats what.
Coincidentally I was watching Taxi Driver at a friends so was not at home on a street that one of these crime’s took place at, as I am the same age also the thought that that could have been me is super sketchy… If someone wants to go all Travis Bickle… Awesome, be my guest… Wipe all the scum off of the streets. Make it safer for me and my friends to walk around. What is wrong with that?
are you asking whats wrong with vigilante justice?
you shouldn’t have to think for very long to realize that might not be the best solution.
call judge dredd.
we should have public stonings when we catch these dudes. don’t call community court, we got this one.
I have a ridiculous amount of anger toward all of these assholes who rob and brutalize people in my neighborhood (so much so that it’s likely that I’ll leave SF in the next year, despite it being one of the great loves of my life.) I worry that if I were the victim I wouldn’t do the smart thing and give up easily. Here’s hoping it doesn’t ever happen to me.
I like the graphic, but the orientation of the gender symbols is incorrect and confusing. The female symbol is usually pointing downward.
Sorry to hear about Violet’s little bro. :\
Carrying a safety whistle is still good practice when out and about after dark.
Between 12-3am here in the Castro on Pink Saturday, my little brother was jumped and beaten until he blacked out, for no apparent reason other than being out (and gay) in the wrong place at the wrong time.
He was not robbed, so this wasn’t a mugging – even though he had cash, phones, jewelry and lots of nice stuff worth taking. It was a hate crime.
So much for my idea of bringing him to SF Pride as a birthday gift for my gay little bro… While everyone was out celebrating on Sunday, we were tending to two black eyes and neck trauma.