Posted on 06/28/2002 2:40:14 PM PDT by Come get it
Vigilante in SF Arrests Suspect After PoliceRefuse
Vigilante's ambush collars S.F. suspect
North Beach tax accountant turns to stun gun after police shelve his requests for arrest in theft
David Parrish, Chronicle Staff Writer
June 24, 2002
When San Francisco police said they couldn't spare an officer to arrest a man suspected of stealing Tom Van Lokeren's credit cards and checks, the 47-year-old North Beach tax accountant took matters into his own hands.
Van Lokeren bought a large fishing net at Fisherman's Wharf, some pepper spray and a stun gun at a military surplus store and then lured the suspect into a trap on a busy downtown street.
"I made four attempts to get the police to do their job," said Van Lokeren. "I said, 'Well, I'm going to go ahead with this,' and they said, 'Good luck.' "
On May 30, Lokeren and his nephew used the stun gun and pepper spray to ambush and arrest James Timothy Stevens -- but not without a struggle and foot chase down Mission Street.
"I ran up after him, and I stunned him on the shoulder, then I used the pepper spray," Van Lokeren said. "In all the ruckus, I ended up dropping the net. I never used it."
During the struggle, Stevens was knocked into a liquor store's glass door, shattering it, but apparently suffered no injuries. When the police were summoned by a call to 911, the 21-year-old transient was booked on two felony charges related to the thefts.
ALL INVOLVED MYSTIFIED The incident left both Van Lokeren and San Francisco police officials shaking their heads in disbelief -- for different reasons.
Van Lokeren is upset that police at Central Station merely wrote up a report on the thefts and refused to go out and arrest Stevens. Fraud Detail inspectors wouldn't help either, he said.
"I served this guy up on a silver platter for these guys," Van Lokeren said of the police. "They are just so jaded and desensitized to crime."
A nephew, Paul Van Lokeren, assisted in the arrest and expressed dismay at the lack of police help, saying: "They are basically just report-takers. They are secretaries with guns."
Central Station Capt. James L. Dudley, whose officers took Van Lokeren's report and refused to assist in the arrest, said he understands their frustration.
He was unaware of Van Lokeren's repeated requests for assistance, Dudley said, but his officers are constantly busy responding to calls that often involve emergencies and violent crime. Setting up a stakeout for a suspect in a property crime case is not something the SFPD usually can do.
"It's not a life-threatening situation," the captain said.
Van Lokeren and his nephew made a mistake, turning a property crime into a potentially violent confrontation, he said.
"You don't put yourself in harm's way because you don't like the way the police handled it. What if this guy did have a gun -- and you only have net," Dudley said. "We certainly don't encourage the public to make their own arrest. That's our job."
Tom Van Lokeren's venture into vigilantism began May 29 when his credit card company called about some unusual recent purchases at a Berkeley DJ shop.
He learned that two credit cards were missing from his home office, along with two checks made out to him, totaling $4,161. Suspicion immediately turned to Stevens, a drifter who had recently befriended his nephew, Paul Van Lokeren, 26.
SUSPECT STAYED IN FLAT Stevens had stayed for a while in the North Beach flat Van Lokeren and the nephew share. Paul Van Lokeren recalled seeing Stevens use a credit card in the Berkeley DJ shop.
The uncle and nephew found that Stevens had left behind a duffel bag containing a half dozen pieces of identification for various men and women.
They went to Central Station with this evidence at 2:45 a.m. on May 30. Police took a fraud report, and told them Stevens was wanted on a $50,000 grand theft arrest warrant in San Diego County and two warrants in San Bernardino County for receiving stolen property.
Later that morning Paul Van Lokeren got a call from Stevens, asking if he could retrieve his duffel bag. They arranged to meet at 2:30 p.m. at the Metreon at Fourth and Mission streets.
Tom Van Lokeren said he went back to Central Station and told officers of the opportunity to arrest the man.
"They said they can't stake a place out -- what if the guy doesn't show up?" Van Lokeren said.
The officers referred him to SFPD's fraud detail, he said, where an inspector said the police report had not yet arrived and that he should go back to Central Station and try again to get a patrol officer to help.
Van Lokeren decided he'd have to catch the man himself. He bought his weapons, then went back to Central Station and asked again for help.
"I said I've gotten all these things, but I don't want to do this by myself, " Van Lokeren said.
One officer said he would try to make it to the Metreon, but that he couldn't promise. He suggested calling 911 when Stevens was spotted, Van Lokeren said.
The officers wished him "good luck" as he left the station, according to Van Lokeren.
Capt. Dudley said the correct advice was given: "The officer was right saying to call 911 when the guy shows up."
That afternoon, the Van Lokerens and Tom's girlfriend gathered on Mission Street. Their plan was to call Stevens on his cell phone and lure him out of the Metreon. But first they tried again for police help. They called 911. The dispatcher said they would send a car, but none came. They waved down a passing patrol car and asked the officers for help.
"They said they were on another call," Tom Van Lokeren said.
MISSION STREET CONFRONTATION Finally, they called Stevens out onto Mission Street. Tom Van Lokeren ran up behind him and stun-gunned and pepper-sprayed the man. Paul Van Lokeren used his own pepper spray. Stevens fell, but then got up and ran.
"I was yelling 'Stop him, stop him,' " Tom Van Lokeren said.
"Some homeless guy with one leg in a wheelchair sticks out his leg and almost trips him up," said Paul Van Lokeren, "Another guy bodychecks him into a liquor store door."
A passer-by called 911.
When police arrived, Stevens was placed under citizen's arrest. Tom Van Lokeren's credit cards were found near the liquor store's broken glass door, police reported.
Stevens later told police the whole fraud scheme was the nephew's idea, a charge Paul Van Lokeren denied.
SFPD fraud Inspector Martin Dito said Stevens is being held on charges of possessing fraudulent identification and possessing stolen property.
"I'm definitely getting action now," said Tom Van Lokeren. "But I wouldn't be getting any action without my citizen's arrest."
I like the "secretaries with guns" remark.
Yeah, don't you just hate it when the police turn property crimes into those scary car chases where people get killed. In fact, we should only apprehend violent offenders. We don't want to risk hurting anybody. < /sarcasm >
GANGS WRECK COMMUNISTS' HEADQUARTERS
Police Arrest More than 265 in Attacks on Hangouts of RadicalsROCKS, CLUBS ARE USED
Men in Autos Swoop Down on Offices, Then Dash Away
(San Francisco,July 17, 1934) Gangs of roughly dressed men, armed with rocks, clubs and heavy gloves, were raiding radical centers this afternoon.Operating swiftly and mysteriously, the men invaded and wrecked the offices of the Western Worker, Communist newspaper headquarters at 37 Grove st., then sped in autos to the Workers' School, distribution center for Communist literature, at 121 Haight st.
Windows and furnishings in both places were battered to pieces.
Police Jail 85 Earlier in the day police had started a drive to round up Communists, raiding an asserted headquarters at 65 Jackson, with the assistance of the National Guard, and arresting 85 persons.
The vigilante raiders were not identified. They numbered between 30 and 40, and each wore a heavy leather jacket.
In each civilian raid the same procedure was followed. One auto- load of men drove past the radical hang-out and hurled bricks through the windows. Other cars filled with men drove up and mop- up squads rushed in. They wasted no time. Clubs and bricks were hurled, desks overturned and furniture smashed.
Carefully Planned By the time police radio cars arrived, the destruction had been completed and the gangs went to the next place. The campaign apparently had been carefully prepared.
The places raided were virtually deserted after the first barrage of bricks.
A few persons, however, failed to escape and were treated roughly. Elmer Barry, 851 Van Ness ave., and Mark Thornton, 30, Fresno, suffered scalp cuts at 1223 Fillmore st., asserted Communists meeting place. Herbert Lord, 27, of 45 Farallones ave., suffered cuts in the Grove st. raid, and Policeman Mervin Pratt, 794 Ashbury st., suffered a cut hand at 121 Haight st. while picking up glass.
A crowd stood across the street from 37 Grove st. and cheered as the place was attacked.
OH PLEASE!!! Since when are the police only for violent crimes?? Give me a break. Honest decent citizens are supposed to have all their hard work..all their life savings just STOLEN??
I'm so mad I'm spittin!! The absolute worst part.. is this victim, the owner, the wronged party COULD have been harmed trying to protect HIS PROPERTY!!! This is outrageous. I'm sorry, if the police miss being right there for a few violent crimes,..then maybe the rich citizens and tax payers there will cry out loud enough to get more protection. But until then,.. they should be answering EVERY Call. If that means they have to leave a call to go to a more serious situation.. so be it. But to sit at their desks and take reports is criminal. They should get off their fat a**es and WORK!!
IT is real hard to feel pity for the police, when they aren't doing their jobs.
I'll stand beside them and fight for more troops,.. but this is insane!!
It is most likely a ploy to get more help. But It won't work on me. They should be filing their reports on the streets. NOT behind some friggin desk!!
I"m so thankful I live in a town that doesn't play those kinds of games.
I really think that's the heart of the matter.
"They are basically just report-takers. They are secretaries with guns."
...are a pitiful comment on this country.
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