Since our last Castro crime roundup, the neighborhood has seen a steady mix of crime. (For more on the neighborhood trends, see our data analysis, which shows a recent increase in violent crime around the neighborhood.)

Read on for a recap of what's been going down lately in the crime and safety department. (All reports are listed in chronological order and come from the SFPD's daily crime recaps, unless otherwise noted.)

Robbers Push Down Elderly Victim, Steal Belongings

On March 16th at 1:30am, a 72-year-old man was walking near 16th and Church when two male suspects approached him, pushed him, and stole his backpack and wallet before fleeing on foot. No arrests were made.

Cyclist Treated For Fall Near Problematic 17th Street Muni Tracks

Tipster Jamison W. shared news of another incident on the 16th, this time involving a female cyclist near the beginning the 17th Street Muni tracks, which have caused recurring issues for bicycles:



"Around 8:30 this morning I was walking by 17th & Church. Besides the emergency vehicles, I didn’t see the SFPD holding any drivers on scene. The woman was concussions [sic] and sitting upright in the ambulance."

We reached out to the SFPD for information on the cause of the incident and condition of the cyclist and will update if we learn more.

Dolores Park Robbers Punch Victim, Steal Camera



On March 17th at 10:45am, a man, 39, was admiring a statue in Dolores Park when he noticed a 20-year-old woman stealing his digital camera. When he attempted to get it from her, she punched him and handed the camera to a younger man, 22. The two fled toward 18th Street, and no arrests were made.

Man Arrested After Stabbing Pedestrian With Fork

A 53-year-old man was walking across the street on March 18th near Sanchez and 17th at 8:58am when another man, 43, walked towards him and stabbed him with a fork, in a seemingly unprovoked attack. The attacker was arrested and the victim was transported to the hospital.

Group Assaults Young Man



On the night of March 18th, a young man, 20, was assaulted by a group of unknown men near Castro and 18th. He was transported to the hospital, and no arrests were made.

Cafe Robbery, Getaway Car Cause Chaos



On March 20th at 8:25pm, a 30-year-old man was sitting at a table in a coffee shop near 18th and Hartford when a younger man, 20, approached and asked him a question. The younger man then stole the victim's laptop from the table and ran. The victim chased him and was able to retrieve the laptop before the suspect get into a car with two other men, which drove away on Hartford Street. No arrests were made, and the victim suffered non-life-threatening injuries.

While the SFPD report for this incident did not have additional details, Hoodline tipster Peter G. witnessed an incident at the identical time and place, which is likely the same:

"The thief was being chased up and down the streets at the 18th and Hartford intersection. After a fairly lengthy chase, the thief got into a getaway car that the victim ran up to and seemed to be banging at the window and taking photos. The driver then accelerated at full force plowed down two people in the crosswalk directly in front of his vehicle. Then reversed into a couple of parked cars and sped forward on Hartford around one victim who remained on the ground and other cars stopped in the intersection toward 19th street. Soon after emergency vehicles (patrol cars, ambulance and fire engine) arrived. Statements were taken and victims treated. The ambulance did not take off to a hospital and had its doors open, which leaves me to believe that those who were hurt were not severely hurt."

Dolores Hot Prowl, Part 1

On March 20th at 11:55pm, a 26-year-old man awoke in his house, near Liberty and Dolores, to the sound of someone going through items in another room. A male suspect fled the residence with a computer, video game console, and backpacks, and no arrest was made.

Dolores Hot Prowl, Part 2

Just three days later, on the 23rd, another hot prowl occurred just a block away, near 21st and Dolores. This time, a man, 36, came home at 12:01am to find a 30-year-old male suspect in his home. A confrontation ensued, and the suspect punched the victim before fleeing with his laptop, wallet, and watch. No arrest was made.

Early-Morning Bus Stop Robbery

Around 4am on March 24th, a 73-year-old man was standing at a bus stop at Market and Church when he was approached by two men in their 20s. One suspect asked the victim for a cigarette, then the other suspect pulled him to the ground and stole his backpack, which contained money and a cell phone. The suspects fled, and the victim was transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Assault With Umbrella

On March 27th at 2:11am, a 54-year-old man was walking near Castro and Market when someone violently hit him. While the victim was unable to recall the details, a witness saw another man, 40, hit the victim with an umbrella. The victim was transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, and no arrest was made.

ATM Skimmer Strikes the Castro

Hoodline tipster N. shared a story of being hit by an ATM skimmer who stole nearly $3,400—and N. isn't alone. Upon reaching out to the police, they learned that ATM skimming is getting more advanced:

"What I've learned from the fraud department is that the card skimmers have now turned to a technology that fits inside the card reader slots on ATMs. Such was the case on Castro Street. I only use one ATM to get cash at my home branch and I didn't notice a single thing on that day. To my horror I discovered that ATM withdrawals were happening in San Francisco, Santa Monica, Alameda, and Glendale. They took my information, replicated it and used it somehow to withdraw cash from ATMs near my home and statewide. Upon discovery, and without quiet protest in my branches lobby, I then learned that many other bank customers became victim to the very same scam and experienced the very same types of fraudulent ATM withdrawals."

SFPD's monthly Mission Station community meeting will take place tomorrow, Tuesday March 28th, at 630 Valencia St., at 6pm.

Did we miss any recent crimes around the neighborhood? If you've got info on a crime or neighborhood safety issue to share, send us a tip here or add a comment below. Or text Hoodline at (415) 200-3233 if you see an incident, and we’ll see what we can find out.